Clinical Assessment of Latex Allergy among Hospital Health Care Providers

Accessible online at: http://BioMedNet.com/karger Correspondence to: Dr. Lawrence DuBuske 955 South Street Fitchburg, MA 01420 (USA) Among 196 hospital health care providers presenting for evaluation of possible latex allergy, a previous history of allergic rhinitis was noted in 46%, asthma in 15%, and eczema, conjunctivitis, or food allergy in 6%, respectively. The most common symptom attributed to latex exposure was rhinitis (39%), followed by asthma (33%), dermatitis (28%), systemic urticaria (20%), contact urticaria (15%), conjunctivitis (13%), angioedema (4%), and anaphylaxis (4%). Among this cohort of health care providers evaluated at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 54% had two symptoms and 15% had three or more latex-related symptoms. Rhinitis (68%), asthma (53%), urticaria/angioedema (53%), dermatitis (42%), and conjunctivitis (21%) were noted in those hospital health care providers having multiple latex-associated symptoms. While an assessment of allergen-specific IgE among latex-exposed hospital health care providers using the Pharmacia CAP was positive in 7.2% of those tested, among latex-symptomatic hospital health care providers, 37% were positive. Whole blood leukocyte histamine release test (LHRT) to latex allergen was positive in 43% of latex-exposed hospital health care providers, and in 61% of latex-symptomatic health care providers. The total IgE was highest in CAP-positive hospital health care providers (131 IU/ml) while the LHRT latex-positive providers did not differ from the overall average hospital worker (32 vs. 28 IU/ml total IgE level). Among hospital health care providers, respiratory symptoms are very common consequent to latex allergy. Fifty-two hospital health care providers were further evaluated for concomitant avocado and banana allergy in addition to latex sensitivity. When tested utilizing the Pharmacia CAP, 62.5% of latex-sensitive hospital health care providers were found to be reactive to either avocado or bananas. In this study, 50% of the latex-sensitive hospital health care providers reacted to avocado alone; 12.5% reacted to both banana and avocado (table 1). The geometric mean total IgE in the cohort of hospital health care providers with banana and/or avocado allergy was 77 IU/ml (table 2). The new onset of latex allergy was demonstrated to parallel the onset of food allergy. Among latex-sensitive hospital health care providers, 1 individual developed ba