Biomaterial Database

Latex glove allergy--dilemma for health care workers. An overview. 2000

D R Roy

SafeTech Consultants, Inc., South Portland, ME, USA.

1. The prevalence of latex allergy in health care workers is estimated to be between 10% and 17%. 2. Reactions from wearing latex gloves can include irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and contact urticaria from latex proteins. 3. Individuals with a history of atopy, multiple surgeries early in life (particularly with bladder catheterization), or allergies to certain foods are considered at risk of latex allergy. 4. An early intervention protocol and documentation forms are offered for occupational health nurses faced with assessing potentially latex allergic employees.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D009785	Occupational Health Nursing	The practice of nursing in the work environment.	Industrial Nursing,Nursing, Industrial,Nursing, Occupational Health,Health Nursing, Occupational,Health Nursings, Occupational,Industrial Nursings,Nursings, Industrial,Nursings, Occupational Health,Occupational Health Nursings
D005932	Gloves, Surgical	Gloves, usually rubber, worn by surgeons, examining physicians, dentists, and other health personnel for the mutual protection of personnel and patient.	Surgical Gloves,Glove, Surgical,Surgical Glove
D006282	Health Personnel	Men and women working in the provision of health services, whether as individual practitioners or employees of health institutions and programs, whether or not professionally trained, and whether or not subject to public regulation. (From A Discursive Dictionary of Health Care, 1976)	Health Care Professionals,Health Care Providers,Healthcare Providers,Healthcare Workers,Health Care Professional,Health Care Provider,Healthcare Provider,Healthcare Worker,Personnel, Health,Professional, Health Care,Provider, Health Care,Provider, Healthcare
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D020315	Latex Hypersensitivity	Allergic reaction to products containing processed natural rubber latex such as rubber gloves, condoms, catheters, dental dams, balloons, and sporting equipment. Both T-cell mediated (HYPERSENSITIVITY, DELAYED) and IgE antibody-mediated (HYPERSENSITIVITY, IMMEDIATE) allergic responses are possible. Delayed hypersensitivity results from exposure to antioxidants present in the rubber; immediate hypersensitivity results from exposure to a latex protein.	Allergy, Latex,Hypersensitivity, Latex,Latex Allergy,Rubber Allergy,Natural Rubber Latex Allergy,Rubber Latex Allergy,Allergies, Latex,Allergies, Rubber,Allergies, Rubber Latex,Allergy, Rubber,Allergy, Rubber Latex,Hypersensitivities, Latex,Latex Allergies,Latex Hypersensitivities,Rubber Allergies,Rubber Latex Allergies