Latex allergy: the incidence among Turkish children with atopic disease and with neural tube defects.
BACKGROUND
latex allergy occurs mainly in people exposed to latex products because of their occupation or because of repeated surgery. Atopy is a strong predisposing factor. Identification of latex sensitive individuals can be life saving.


METHODS
to investigate the incidence of latex hypersensitivity, 212 children with atopic disease, 85 with neural tube defects and 200 normal children aged 2 to 14 years were interviewed and prick skin tests were performed.


RESULTS
latex allergy was found in 10.8% of atopic children, 30.5% of children with neural tube defects, and 1% of normal children. Latex allergy incidence in operated children with neural tube defects was found 3.5 times more frequently in compare with non-operated patients.


CONCLUSIONS
atopic children and children with neural tube defects should carefully be followed up for latex allergy specially if recurring itching, urticaria, eczema, rhinitis and eye symptoms are present.
Akçakaya
N
N
Pediatrics, Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kulak
K
K
Hassanzadeh
A
A
Camcioğlu
Y
Y
Cokuğraş
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012882:Skin Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology