Gloves play an important but sometimes overlooked role in woundcare. Latex allergy has led many woundcare practitioners to question the place of latex gloves in woundcare, and to look for alternative materials. This paper summarises the opinion of a group of European experts on the role of Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) in latex allergy.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of latex sensitisation among a large group of healthcare workers, study the occupational and non-occupational factors associated with latex allergy, and characterise latex exposure in air and by gloves. METHODS All 2062 employees of a general hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada who regularly used latex gloves were invited to participate in a cross secti...

OBJECTIVE To assess the defect rates in latex examination gloves used in selected dental practices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, a total of 796 latex examination gloves were collected from 5 governmental hospitals and 5 private dental practices between April 2012 and May 2012. The gloves were assessed for presence of defects visually (VT) and using water infl...

BACKGROUND Latex allergy continues to be an increasingly serious occupational health problem in Taiwan, where it affects approximately 6.8% to 12% of health care workers. Contrasting with reports from western countries, Hev b 1 and hevamine, and not Hev b 3, 5 or 6.02, are the major latex allergens among health care workers in Taiwan. This study aimed at evaluating the allergenicity of 30 brand...

Accepted 20 November 1996 Abstract Objectives-To determine the prevalence of latex sensitisation among a large group of healthcare workers, study the occupational and non-occupational factors associated with latex allergy, and characterise latex exposure in air and by gloves. Methods-All 2062 employees of a general hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada who regularly used latex gloves were invit...

A total of 480 examination gloves (240 vinyl and 240 latex) were stressed by using manipulations designed to mimic patient care. At the highest use level, 38 (63%) of 60 vinyl gloves leaked bacteriophage phi X174 compared with 4 (7%) of 60 latex gloves. At lower use levels, there was no statistically significant difference in leakage.

Allergy to natural rubber latex is an important cause of occupational allergy in healthcare workers. Disposable medical gloves are the major reservoir of latex allergens, particularly powdered gloves, in healthcare delivery settings. Diagnosis of latex allergy requires a history of exacerbation of cutaneous, respiratory, ocular, or systemic signs and symptoms after exposure to natural rubber la...

Allergic or immediate hypersensitivity reactions to latex have been reported in children with increasing frequency in the past. The reported prevalence varies greatly depending upon the population studied and the methods used to detect sensitization. Children's subpopulations at particular risk include: atopics, individuals with spina bifida, children undergoing surgical procedure during the ne...

As latex proteins, which cause latex hypersensitivity, can be found on starch particles and inhalation may be a route for sensitization, the presence of starch particles in hospital air was examined. The starch particles were demonstrated by immobilization onto cellulose acetate filters and staining with iodine. Rooms in which powdered latex gloves were used gave counts of up to > 3,667 particl...

We have reported previously (H. R. Kotilainen, J. P. Brinker, J. L. Avato, and N. M. Gantz, Arch. Intern. Med. 149:2749-2753, 1989) that the quality of nonsterile examination gloves available for clinical use may be extremely variable. In view of the concern over human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus transmission to health care workers, the continuing variability of gloves availabl...