NATURAL-RUBBER LATEX ALLERGY - PREVALENCE AND RISK-FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH SPINA-BIFIDA COMPARED WITH ATOPIC CHILDREN AND CONTROLS

Type 1 allergy against natural rubber latex is an increasing problem i n health care workers and children with spina bifida or urogenital mal formations. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of lat ex IgE antibodies and cross-reacting fruit antibodies in patients with spina bifida compared with atopic and non-atopic controls. Risk facto rs for sensitization should be determined. Sera of 148 patients with s pina bifida and 98 controls (44 with atopy) were screened for IgE anti bodies against latex, banana and kiwi by fluorescence enzyme immunoass ay (CAP system). Atopies, allergic symptoms after latex contacts and t he number of operations were compiled by a questionnaire. Patients wit h spina bifida developed latex IgE antibodies (greater than or equal t o 0.7 kU/l) more frequently (40.5%) than atopic children (11.4%) or he althy controls (1.9%). All 18 symptomatic patients belonged to the spi na bifida group and had high values of latex antibodies. The risk for developing latex antibodies increases with the number of operations. T here was no difference in the history of atopic diseases and in a scre ening test of IgE antibodies against inhalative allergens between late x sensitized and not sensitized children with spina bifida. Antibodies against banana were more frequent in the latex sensitized children wi th spina bifida. (18.3% vs 3.4%, P = 0.002). Conclusion The high preva lence of latex antibodies in children with spina bifida justifies a pr imary prophylaxis by avoiding latex contacts, especially during anaest hesia and surgery, a correlation between the number of operations and the development of latex antibodies exists.