title: Minimum prevalence of latex hypersensitivity in health care workers.
abstract: Health care workers (HCW) have been shown to be at significant risk for developing latex allergy. Natural rubber latex hypersensitivity has been reported in 2.9 to 17% of health care workers in previously published studies. This study describes the prevalence of latex hypersensitivity in a large cohort of medical center employees. A screening questionnaire was distributed to 1967 employees in six job categories exposed to latex, and 1331 questionnaires were returned (68%) between March and November 1995. Skin and serologic testing was performed on 156 volunteers. Of the 1331 HCWs who completed the screening questionnaire, 290 (21.8%) self-reported contact dermatitis to latex, 67 (5.0%) self-reported urticaria to latex, 163 (12.2%) self-reported rhinoconjunctivitis to latex, and 17 (1.3%) self-reported asthmatic symptoms to latex. Of the total population of 1967 employees, 38 (1.9%) were either skin test or blood test positive and 30 (1.5%) of these 38 were symptomatic around latex. This study suggests a minimum prevalence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to latex of 1.5% among medical center employees. Our reported prevalence figures are lower than previously reported, reflecting, in part, reporting methods using a denominator more consistent with the total population at risk. Our study also illustrates the pitfall of relying on self-reporting in making the diagnosis of latex allergy.
authors.affiliation: Allergy, Asthma, and Respiratory Care Center, Inc., Long Beach, California, USA.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Wellmeyer
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007840:Latex / Q000276:immunology; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007840:Latex; D007073:Immunoglobulin E