Hunt LW, Boone-Orke JL, Fransway AF, Fremstad CE, Jones RT, Swanson MC, McEvoy MT, Miller LK, Majerus ET, Luker PA, Scheppmann DL, Webb MJ, Yunginger JW, et al.
Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Date of publication 1996 Aug 1;volume 38(8):765-70.
1. J Occup Environ Med. 1996 Aug;38(8):765-70. doi:
10.1097/00043764-199608000-00011.
A medical-center-wide, multidisciplinary approach to the problem of natural
rubber latex allergy.
Hunt LW(1), Boone-Orke JL, Fransway AF, Fremstad CE, Jones RT, Swanson MC,
McEvoy MT, Miller LK, Majerus ET, Luker PA, Scheppmann DL, Webb MJ, Yunginger
JW.
Author information:
(1)Mayo Medical Center Latex Allergy Task Force, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn
55905, USA.
Latex is a common cause of occupational allergy in health care workers;
latex-sensitized patients are at increased risk of allergic reactions in medical
environments. Skin test reagents and latex-specific immunoglobulin E
immunoassays were established for diagnosis of latex allergy. Inhibition
immunoassays were developed for measuring latex aeroallergens and latex
allergens in rubber products. A registry of latex-sensitive employees was
established. High-allergen gloves were removed from the medical center
inventory; latex aeroallergen levels subsequently declined. Despite an
increasing number of gloves used annually, expenditures for gloves in 1994 were
lower than in previous years. Latex-sensitive individuals can be identified
using skin tests or immunoassays. Latex aeroallergen levels in medical
environments can be reduced substantially at lower cost by using powder-free
rubber gloves with lower allergen content.
DOI: 10.1097/00043764-199608000-00011
PMID: 8863201 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
