Hypersensitivity reactions caused by latex products are ascribed to proteins elutingfrom the products, but the detailed properties of the responsible proteins have not been revealed yet. We have speculated that defense-related proteins biosynthesised in a rubber tree comprise the major part of the allergens. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether defense-related proteins are extracted fr...

Immediate hypersensitivity reactions ranging from mild urticaria to life threatening anaphylaxis after exposure to natural rubber latex have been reported frequently in health care workers while occupational asthma due to latex exposure is less well studied. The results of specific challenge tests and immunological tests in four health care workers with work related respiratory and skin disorde...

Background Latex-fruit syndrome (LFS), defined as hypersensitivity to particular fresh fruits (Wagner S. & Breiteneder H. Bioch Soc Trans, 2002), has been described in 30-50% of pts affected from natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy and it is due to IgE Abs that cross-react with similar epitopes on phylogenetically related proteins. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of LFS in a group of NRL a...

©FSRH J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2008: 34(2) Background Itching following contact with latex condoms is a familiar problem in contraceptive services, and popular textbooks still maintain that it is frequently an excuse for avoiding condoms, or that spermicide is to blame.1 If a patient experiences symptoms on contact with other latex items as well as condoms then it would be reasonable to s...

BACKGROUND Latex allergy is one of the major health concerns and allergic reactions to latex may be serious and fatal. PURPOSE In this study, we sought to determine the frequency of latex hypersensitivity in a group of allergic Egyptian infants and children and its relation to the history provided by the patients or caregivers. METHODS We consecutively enrolled 400 patients with physician d...

This brief review of natural-rubber latex (NRL) allergy in health care workers (HCWs) includes the definition of NRL allergy and data on its epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic algorithm, management, long-term outcomes, economic impact, cost-effectiveness of changing facilities to a latex-free environment, and prevention. The data presented suggest that an individual with type I or type IV h...

This article characterizes hypersensitivity reactions during anesthetic-surgical procedures. This integrative literature review was conducted in the LILACS, CINAHL, COCHRANE and MEDLINE databases including papers published from 1966 to September 2011. A total of 17 case reports, two prevalence studies and one cohort study were identified. Latex reactions were mainly type III and the primary sou...

Five young women, all of whom had anaphylactic responses in operating units, are described. Three of them worked in a hospital three showed immediate hypersensitivity to fruit and all had known urticaria to latex. Anaphylaxis appeared progressively 15 to 30 minutes after injection of anaesthetic drugs. Skin tests with these drugs were negative. Skin prick tests through gloves and with four diff...