Latex hides in unexpected places, experts warn

NEW YORK (Reuter Health) - Inadvertent exposure to latex poses a "serious health risk to millions of Americans," Dr. Donald H. Beezhold, chair of the Latex Allergy Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) warns in a statement issued this month.

Allergic reactions to latex -- which can range from a poison ivy-like rash to life-threatening anaphylaxis -- are common in hospitals and other medical settings, where rubber gloves are plentiful. But less-visible products in other environments can also pose danger, according to the AAAAI.

"Consider," said Beezhold, "that restaurant meals are frequently prepared by cooks wearing latex gloves. In schools, the cafeteria may be a threat, but there is also potential exposure to latex in school supplies."

Estimates of the prevalence of latex allergy vary, but the condition disproportionately affects healthcare workers and other populations frequently exposed to latex.

Allergy to proteins in natural rubber latex, which became a significant concern by the late 1980s, is believed to have originated from an increased use of latex gloves due to infection precaution policies instituted at health care facilities over the last decade, according to the academy. However, new cases of latex allergy leveled off in the 1990s.

The key to preventing an allergic reaction to latex is avoiding exposure to it, a responsibility that largely falls on the person with the allergy, the AAAAI notes. The academy offers resources and tips for latex-allergic patients in the "Diseases 101" section of its website, www.aaaai.org.

In addition to avoiding contact with latex products, including gloves, balloons and condoms, the AAAAI notes that, in rare instances, people who are allergic to latex may also react to rubber bands, erasers, rubber parts of toys, various rubber components in medical devices, rubber elastic in clothes, or feeding nipples and pacifiers. Almost all latex paints are not a problem since they do not contain natural rubber latex.

The AAAAI encourages latex-allergic patients to tell their doctors and ask whether they should wear a medical bracelet identifying the allergy.

Your dentist, family, employer and school personnel should also be informed of allergy to latex and don't be shy about requesting accommodations as needed, the AAAAI advises.

"Remember that the federal Americans with Disabilities Act provides workplace protections for individuals with latex allergy. If protective gloves are required for your job, your employer should consider an alternative synthetic material, which is equally effective in most situations," the AAAAI states on its website.