Screening for latex allergy with a questionnaire: comparison with latex skin testing in a group of dental professionals.
BACKGROUND
Latex allergy has emerged as an important cause of allergic reactions particularly in health workers. Due to the lack of a standardized extract for objective skin testing a screening questionnaire was developed.


METHODS
At the 1995 Australian Dental Association Conference, all attendees were invited to complete a questionnaire and undergo skin testing to assess the level of latex allergy in this population and to assess the performance of the questionnaire as a screening test for latex allergy.


RESULTS
The questionnaire had high specificity but poor sensitivity compared to skin testing with latex extract.


CONCLUSIONS
This study compares at risk individuals identified by a screening questionnaire with those identified by objective skin testing. A questionnaire designed to screen for latex allergy was reliable for identifying those with low risk while overestimating those at risk of true latex allergy, demonstrating the need for objective testing with reliable allergens.
Department of Immunology and Allergy, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales. chk@allergyimmunol.com.au
C H
CH
Katelaris
R P
RP
Widmer
R M
RM
Lazarus
B
B
Baldo
D000328:Adult; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires