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Managing the risk of sensitisation to latex

6 mins read Workplace issues/your health
Healthcare staff with a high occupational exposure to latex gloves, such as dental care professionals, have a higher than average incidence of latex allergies. Aleks Kinay outlines the types of allergic sensitization to natural rubber latex and measures to reduce the risk of exposure in health servi

Latex allergy has become a significant occupational health problem, which has reached epidemic proportions in certain highly exposed workers such as dental professionals (American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI), 1995). In this context, latex allergy refers to a sensitivity to natural rubber latex (NRL) derived from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, not an allergy to synthetic rubbers such as nitrile or neoprene.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (2003) has listed NRL as one of the top five causes of occupational asthma. Medical devices, principally medical NRL gloves, are the greatest single source of exposure to NRL and have been associated with a significant increase in the number of cases of latex allergy over the past two decades. Exposure to NRL allergen may occur through direct contact with an offending device or by inhalation of allergen carried by cornstarch powder with which most powdered gloves are coated (American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) and ACAAI, 1997).

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