title: Patch testing with natural rubber latex: the Mayo Clinic experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  delayed hypersensitivity reactions to natural rubber latex (NRL) have been recognized. These reactions may contribute to allergic contact dermatitis. We therefore have undertaken patch testing of patients with NRL if they are suspected to have allergic contact dermatitis to rubber.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to review results of patch testing with NRL (January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2007).
  
  
  METHODS
  patients suspected of having allergic contact dermatitis from rubber who underwent patch testing with NRL were identified retrospectively. For safety reasons, patients with immediate hypersensitivity to NRL were excluded from patch testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  of 148 patients patch-tested with NRL, 3 (2.0%) had an allergic patch-test reaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NRL is as common a cause of allergic contact dermatitis as many of the other allergens included in a specialized rubber allergen series. Patients suspected to be allergic to rubber should be patch-tested with NRL (provided they do not have type 1 hypersensitivity to NRL).
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Margo J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bendewald
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: Mark D P
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007840:Latex; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007840:Latex