Occupational allergies caused by latex

Natural rubber latex allergy increasingly has been recognized during the past decade [1]. It now is considered to be the most frequent cause of occupational allergy in healthcare workers [2]. Natural rubber products can trigger urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis after cutaneous, mucosal, or visceral exposure, and in the case of disposable medical gloves, latex allergens that are adsorbed to glove-donning powders can trigger rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma [3]. Natural rubber latex Natural rubber is derived from the cytosol, or latex, of the commercial rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis [4]. It is important to distinguish natural rubber from synthetic elastomers, which include butyl rubber (a petroleum-based product), polymers of 2-chlorobutadiene (Neoprene, DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC, Wilmington, DE), and copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile [5]. Synthetic rubber products pose no risks to persons who have been sensitized to natural rubber proteins. Rubber processing Ammonia is added to natural rubber latex to prevent autocoagulation during harvesting. About 90 % of harvested latex is processed by subsequent aci