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Latex allergy is a medical term encompassing a range of allergic reactions to natural rubber latex.
Types
Type 1, the most serious and rare form, is an immediate and life-threatening reaction, not unlike the severe reaction some people have to bee stings. Such reactions account for a significant proportion of perioperative anaphylactic reaction, especially in children with myelomeningocele.
Type 4, also known as allergic contact dermatitis. This involves a delayed skin rash that is similar to poison ivy with blistering and oozing of the skin. This type is caused by chemicals used in the processing of rubber products.
Irritant Contact Dermatitis is the most common type of reaction. This causes dry, itchy, irritated areas on the skin, most often on the hands. It can be caused by the irritation of using gloves, or it can also be caused by exposure to other workplace products. Frequent washing of the hands, incomplete drying, exposure to hand sanitizers, and the talc-like powder coatings (zinc oxide, etc) used with gloves can alleviate symptoms. Irritant contact dermatitis is not a true allergy.
Testing for type 1 natural rubber latex allergy is through blood testing, such as RAST (radioallergosorbant test) identifies what types of IgE proteins trigger allergic reactions. While the standard for allergen testing is the skin prick test, there is no approved skin testing reagent for latex in the United States at this time. Some other countries do have approved skin testing reagents for natural rubber latex. Some people who are allergic to latex are also allergic to clothes, shoes and other things that contain natural rubber latex - for example elastic bands, rubber gloves, condoms, pacifiers and baby-bottle nipples, balloons, cars and clothing containing natural rubber based elastic. Synthetic elastic such as elastane or neoprene do not contain the proteins that trigger type 1 reactions. Type 1 natural rubber latex allergy is caused from IgE (immune) mediated reactions to proteins found in the hevea brasiliensis tree, a type of rubber tree. Synthetic latex products do not contain the proteins from the hevea brasiliensis tree and will not cause this type of reaction.
Type 4 reactions are caused by the chemicals used to process the rubber. Patch testing needs to be done to verify which type of chemical triggers the reaction. Once the chemical is identified, then the person can choose products that are not processed with that chemical. Both natural rubber and synthetic rubber products may cause type 4 reactions.
Those at greatest risk
- Children with myelomeningocle. Between 40% to 100% will have a reaction.
- Industrial rubber workers, exposed for long periods to high amounts of latex. About 10% have an allergic reaction.
- Healthcare workers. Given the ubiquitous use of latex products in health care settings, management of latex allergy presents significant health organizational problems. Latex allergies are becoming more common among doctors, as they have regular and prolonged exposure to latex, mostly examination gloves. Between about 4% to 15% of healthcare workers have a reaction, although this is usually Irritant Contact Dermatitis, rather than an allergy.
- People who have had multiple surgical procedures, especially in childhood.
Estimates of latex sensitivity in the general population range from 0.8% to 6.5%, although not all will ever develop a noticeable allergic reaction. If you happily chewed on elastic bands as a child, and you have no problem wearing latex gloves, there should be no need to worry. However, there is evidence that the more exposure you have to latex, the more allergic you may become. If you have only a minor latex allergy, you should minimize your exposure to latex so that you do not risk becoming more sensitive.
Latex and foods
A latex allergy can also cause further reactions, to food items from the latex plant groups - banana, avocado, chestnut and kiwi. It can also cause reactions from foods touched by latex products in the most severe cases. There are some known cases of latex allergies being provoked from genetically modified foods such as tomatoes with latex proteins.
It is also worth noting that some highly latex allergic individuals have had allergic reactions to foods that were handled or prepared by people wearing latex gloves.
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"Latex allergy"