Is latex allergy still a problem?

The incidence of reported new cases of allergy to natural rubber latex (NRL) has greatly reduced in recent years, but dental care professionals (DCPs) still need to treat affected patients safely, as well as being alert to any developing symptoms in themselves and colleagues.

Items made of NRL have been used for many years, with the use of NRL gloves in health care increasing during the 20th century. During the 1980s, ‘universal precautions' were introduced to protect workers and patients against HIV and other infections; this led to a marked increase in glove usage (Sussman et al, 2002; NHS Plus et al, 2008). Shortly afterwards, the incidence of irritant contact dermatitis to gloves increased (Figure 1), and this was followed by a dramatic increase in the numbers of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to NRL. Many of these reactions were severe, with the first anaphylactic reaction being reported in the USA in 1984. A number of health care workers had their careers ended prematurely because they could no longer work in an environment containing NRL.