UPDATE - IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED-HYPERSENSITIVITY TO NATURAL-RUBBER LATEX

Hypersensitivity to natural rubber latex, an ingredient of many medical devices and consumer products, appears to be increasing. Chemical additives induce T-cell mediated type IV delayed reactions while proteins that occur naturally in latex elicit antibody-mediated type I immediate reactions. The latter can be fatal. The clinical manifestations of these reactions, the risk factors for developing latex hypersensitivity, and diagnostic options are reviewed. The only reliable management strategy is allergen avoidance. Therefore, factors that can affect the levels of both type I and type II allergens in products are discussed.