A Medical-Center-Wide, Multidisciplinary Approach to the Problem of Natural Rubber Latex Allergy

A Medical-Center-Wide, Multidisciplinary Approach to the Problem of Natural Rubber Latex Allergy

Latex is a common cause of occupational allergy in health care workers; latex-sensitized patients are at increased risk of allergic reactions in medical environments. Skin test reagents and latex-specific immunoglobulin E immunoassays were established for diagnosis of latex allergy. Inhibition immun...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 38; no. 8; pp. 765 - 770
Main Authors: Hunt, Loren W., Boone-Orke, Jodie L., Fransway, Anthony F., Fremstad, Charles E., Jones, Richard T., Swanson, Mark C., McEvoy, Marian T., Miller, Linda K., Majerus, Elizabeth T., Luker, Patricia A., Scheppmann, Donald L., Webb, Maurice J., Yunginger, John W.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Hagerstown, MD Williams & Wilkins 01-08-1996
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
Subjects:
Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis
Allergic diseases
Allergies
Biological and medical sciences
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Dermatitis, Occupational - diagnosis
Dermatitis, Occupational - epidemiology
Dermatitis, Occupational - etiology
Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control
Gloves, Protective - adverse effects
Gloves, Protective - economics
Health Personnel
Hospitals, Group Practice - organization & administration
Humans
Immunopathology
Latex - adverse effects
Medical personnel
Medical sciences
Minnesota - epidemiology
Occupational hazards
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Particle Size
Risk Factors
Rubber
Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies
Minnesota
Human
Allergy
Glove
Health staff
Chemical compound
Rate
Occupational exposure
Latex
Immunological method
Ambient air concentration
Safety clothing
Diagnosis
Technique
Occupational medicine
Allergen
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Latex is a common cause of occupational allergy in health care workers; latex-sensitized patients are at increased risk of allergic reactions in medical environments. Skin test reagents and latex-specific immunoglobulin E immunoassays were established for diagnosis of latex allergy. Inhibition immunoassays were developed for measuring latex aeroallergens and latex allergens in rubber products. A registry of latex-sensitive employees was established. High-allergen gloves were removed from the medical center inventory; latex aeroallergen levels subsequently declined. Despite an increasing number of gloves used annually, expenditures for gloves in 1994 were lower than in previous years. Latex-sensitive individuals can be identified using skin tests or immunoassays. Latex aeroallergen levels in medical environments can be reduced substantially at lower cost by using powder-free rubber gloves with lower allergen content.
ISSN:1076-2752
1536-5948
DOI:10.1097/00043764-199608000-00011