Liss GM, Sussman GL, et al.
American journal of industrial medicine. Date of publication 1999 Feb 1;volume 35(2):196-200.
1. Am J Ind Med. 1999 Feb;35(2):196-200. doi:
10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199902)35:2<196::aid-ajim12>3.0.co;2-y.
Latex sensitization: occupational versus general population prevalence rates.
Liss GM(1), Sussman GL.
Author information:
(1)Ontario Ministry of Labour, Toronto, Canada. gary.liss@utoronto.ca
BACKGROUND: Natural rubber latex (NRL) has become an important occupational
health concern in recent years, particularly among health care workers. It has
been suggested in some reports that the prevalence of latex sensitization among
occupationally exposed groups is not different from that in the general
population.
METHODS: The findings of prevalence studies conducted among
occupationally-exposed and general population groups were reviewed to determine
whether there is evidence to support this suggestion.
RESULTS: Numerous surveys of HCWs have demonstrated that the prevalence of
sensitization to latex ranged in most studies from 5 to 12%; sensitization of
HCWs may produce clinical effects including urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis,
occupational asthma, and potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shock. More
than a decade ago, data from Finland indicated that the prevalence of latex
allergy in the general population was less than 1%. Recent reports from Finland
have confirmed this, with observations that 0.7-1.1% of large series of patients
were NRL-allergic, while among 804 unselected patients, the prevalence of latex
skin prick test (SPT) positivity was 0.12%. In contrast, other studies have
suggested that from 4 to 6.4% of individuals tested were positive for serum
latex-specific IgE antibodies. However, the specificity of these assays has been
reported to be low. In three recent studies based on SPTs, published in 1997,
the prevalence of positive reactions to latex was about 1% or less. The
prevalence was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3-1.4) among 758 apprentices in Quebec, Canada;
and 1.1% among more than 3,000 children tested in Finland (1.0% confirmed on
latex use test). There were no first- and second-year dental students with
positive latex SPTs in Ontario, Canada.
CONCLUSIONS: These recent investigations provide further evidence consistent
with earlier studies based on skin testing that the prevalence of latex
sensitization in occupationally-unexposed groups is quite low (< 1%). The marked
differences in the findings based on serological assays may relate to the
nonspecificity of these assays and deserve further investigation.
DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199902)35:2<196::aid-ajim12>3.0.co;2-y
PMID: 9894544 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
