Health-care workers and latex allergy

Latex hypersensitivity can pose a threat to anyone, hut health-care provide rs are among the high-risk groups for developing latex hypersensitivity. La tex hypersensitivity likely results from health-care workers' increased use of gloves following implementation of universal precautions. It is also be lieved that the antigenic load of latex gloves causes an increase in latex hypersensitivity resulting from massive production of gloves. Although ther e are many studies on the prevalence of latex hypersensitivity among health -care workers, there appear to be discrepancies, which may affect the diffe rent apparent prevalence. Testing for latex hypersensitivity raises another problem. Latex allergens cannot be identified specifically; therefore, the re is no standard test or testing solution that can identify hypersensitive persons. Although latex glove hypersensitivity was first identified in the late 1970s, there remain many uncertainties associated with it; as a resul t, there is a growing concern among health-care providers. The authors offe r several precautions to avoid the development of latex hypersensitivity.