Allergy to latex. Don't forget allergic patients in short pants!

Immediate allergy to latex proteins, almost unknown 20 years ago, has becom e a real public health problem, particularly in occupational medicine where about 10% of health-care workers suffer from this allergy. Children with s pina bifida and genitourinary tract abnormality were shown to be an excepti onally high-risk group for latex allergy, with a prevalence up to 60%. The role of multiple surgical procedures as the main risk factor for sensitizat ion to latex was noted Sensitization to latex proteins results from the rep eated and prolonged mucous and serous contact with a natural rubber-contain ing medical device during surgery. Atopy is another risk factor that lowers the threshold both for sensitization and for the occurrence of clinical sy mptoms. Starting from childbirth, various situations of contact with natura l rubber-containing goods during infancy are described. (C) 2000 Editions s cientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.