The prevalence of latex allergy varies greatly depending on the population studied and the methods used to detect sensitization. Subjects considered to be at high risk for latex allergy are rubber industry workers, children with spina bifida and urological abnormalities, children undergoing multiple surgical procedures and with urinary catheterization, health care workers and people with food allergy (latex fruit syndrome). In this paper we report a review of latex proteins, the symptoms of latex allergy, diagnosis and management in subjects with latex allergy.
BernardiniRNovembreELombardiEMezzettiPCianferoniADantiADMercurellaAVierucciA. Prevalence of and risk factors for latex sensitization in patients with spina bifida. J Urol1998;160:1775–8.
2.
BernardiniRMistrelloGPucciNRoncaroloDLombardiEZanoniEMoriFDe MartinoMNovembreEMassaiCAzzariCVierucciA. Diagnostic value of three different latex extracts. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol2007;20: 393–400.
3.
BernardiniRNovembreELombardiEPucciNMonacoMGVierucciAMarcucciF. Risk factor for latex allergy in 54 children with atopy and latex sensitization. J Allergy Clin Immunol2003;58:88–9.
4.
KostyalDHortonKBeezholdDLockwoodSHamiltonRG. Latex as a significant source of Hevea brasiliensis allergen exposure. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol2009;103:354–5.
SunderasanEHamzahSHamidSWardMAYeangHYCardosaMJ. Latex B- serum b 1,3-glucanase (Hev b 2) and a component of the micro-helix (Hev b 4) are major latex allergens. J Nat Rubb Res1995;10:82–99.
BernardiniRNovembreEIngargiolaAVeltroniMMugnainiLCianferoniALombardiEVierucciA. Prevalence and risk factors of latex sensitization in an unselected pediatric population. J Allergy Clin Immunol1998;101:621–5.
10.
KurupVPFinkJN. The spectrum of immunologic sensitization in latex allergy. Allergy2001;56:2–12.
11.
HepnerDLCastellsMC. Latex allergy: An update. Anesth Analg2003;96:1219–29.
12.
BernardiniRCampodonicoPBurasteroSAzzariCNovembreEPucciNMassaiCDe MartinoMVierucciA. Sublingual immunotherapy with a latex extract in paediatric patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Curr Med Res Opin2006;22:1515–22.
13.
De QueirozMCombetSBérardJPouyauAGenestHMouriquandPChassardD. Latex allergy in children: modalities and prevention. Paediatr Anaesth2009;19:313–9.
14.
ChelminskaMNiedoszytkoMJassemE. Clinical Value of Conjunctival Allergen Challenge in Diagnosing Allergic Conjunctivitis Related to Latex. Int Arch Allergy Immunol2010;154:149–154.
15.
CabanillasBRodríguezJBlancaNJiménezMACrespoJF. Clinically relevant cross-reactivity between latex and passion fruit. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol2009; 103: 449.
16.
BernardiniRPucciNRossiMELombardiEde MartinoMMoriFCiprandiGNovembreEMarcucciFMassaiCAzzariCVierucciA. Allergen specific nasal challenge to latex in children with latex allergy: clinical and immunological evaluation. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol2008;21:333–341.
17.
NuceraEPollastriniESabatoVColagiovanniAAruannoARizziABuonomoAPecoraVLombardoCAstorriALRossiGPatriarcaGSchiavinoD. Challenge tests in the diagnosis of latex allergy. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol2010;23:543–52.
18.
NovembreEBernardiniRBrizziIBertiniGMugnainiLAzzariCVierucciA. The prevalence of latex allergy in children seen in a university hospital allergy clinic. Allergy1997;52:101–5.
19.
HamiltonRGPetersonELOwnbyDR. Clinical and laboratory-based methods in the diagnosis of natural rubber latex allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol2002;110: S47–56.
20.
MariAScalaED'AmbrosioCBreitenederHWagnerS. Latex allergy within a cohort of not-at-risk subjects with respiratory symptoms: prevalence of latex sensitization and assessment of diagnostic tools. Int Arch Allergy Immunol2007;143:135–43.
21.
EboDGHagendorensMMDe KnopKJVerweijMMBridtsCHDe ClerckLSStevensWJ. Componed-resolved diagnosis from latex allergy by microarray. Clin Exp Allergy2010;40:348–58.
22.
BernardiniRPucciNAzzariCNovembreEDe MartinoMMilaniM. Sensitivity and specificity of different skin prick tests with latex extracts in pediatric patients with suspected natural rubber latex allergy - A cohort study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol2008;19:315–8.
23.
YungingerJW. Latex allergy in the workplace: an overview of where we are. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol1999; 83: 630–3.
24.
KellyKJPearsonMLKurupVPHavensPLByrdRSSetlockMAButlerJCSlaterJEGrammerLCResnickA. A cluster of anaphilactic reactions in children with spina bifida during general anaesthesia: epidemiologic features, risk factors, and latex hypersensitivity. J Allergy Clin Immunol1994; 94:53–61.
25.
BernardiniRNovembreELombardiEMezzettiPCianferoniADantiDAMercurellaAVierucciA. Risk factors for latex allergy in patients with spina bifida and latex sensitization. Clin Exp Allergy1999;29:681–6.
26.
LiebermanPNicklasRAOppenheimerJKempSFLangDMBernsteinDIBernsteinJABurksAWFeldwegAMFinkJNGreenbergerPAGoldenDBJamesJMKempSFLedfordDKLiebermanPShefferALBernsteinDIBlessing-MooreJCoxLKhanDALangDNicklasRAOppenheimerJPortnoyJMRandolphCSchullerDESpectorSLTillesSWallaceD. The diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis. Practice Parameter: 2010 update. J Allergy Clin Immunol2010;126:477–80.
27.
NettisEColanardiMCSoccioALMarcandreaMPintoLFerranniniATursiAVaccaA. Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sublingual immunotherapy in patients with latex-induced urticaria: a 12-month study. Br J Dermatol2007;156:674–81.
28.
BernardiniRPecoraSMilaniMBurasteroSE. Natural rubber latex allergy in children: clinical and immunological effects of 3 years sublingual immunotherapy. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol2008;40:142–7.
29.
RollandJMGardnerLMO'HehirRE. Allergen-related approaches to immunotherapyPharmacol Ther2009; 121: 273–84.
30.
EwanPWDuguéPMirakianRDixonTAHarperJNNasserSM. BSACI guidelines for investigation of suspected anaphylaxis during general anaesthesia. BSACI. Clin Exp Allergy2010;40:15–31.
