Latex Allergy

Latex, also known as rubber or natural latex, comes from the milky sap of the rubber tree, found in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Latex allergy is an allergic reaction to substances in natural latex. Rubber gloves are the main source of allergic reactions, although latex is also used in many other products -- here are some common places latex may show up in your environment:



At Home:

• balloons
• rubber gloves for cleaning house
• rubber erasers
• some computer mouse pads 
• rubber bands
• tennis shoe soles
• ping pong paddles
• foam rubber pillows 
• some "pillow top" mattresses
• koosh balls
• party "bounce" houses
• tires
• freshly resurfaced roads

At School:

• rubber balls on the playground
• rubberized playground surfaces
• rubber running tracks
• artificial turf fields
• mouse pads

Other:

• dental or medical offices where latex gloves are worn by staff
• restaurants or cafeterias where food handlers wear latex gloves
• some medical devices such as urinary catheters with a rubber tip
• latex condoms

It is thought that repeated exposure to latex and rubber products may induce symptoms in people prone to allergies.

About 5% to 10% of health care workers have some form of allergy to latex.  Many hospitals are now latex-free as this condition has become more prevalent in the population.


What Happens During a Latex Reaction?

There are three types of latex reactions:

• Irritant contact dermatitis.  Least threatening form, a non-allergenic skin reaction. Usually occurs as a result of repeated exposure to chemicals in latex gloves and results in dryness, itching, or burning of the skin.
• Allergic contact dermatitis. Results in the same type of reactions as irritant contact dermatitis, but the reaction is more severe, generally itchier, spreads to more parts of the body and lasts longer.
• Immediate allergic reaction (latex hypersensitivity). The most serious reaction to latex. It can include hay fever-like symptoms, conjunctivitis (allergic pink eye), hives, wheezing or chest tightness, swelling of the lips, eyelids, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing. Rarely, symptoms may progress to include rapid heartbeat, tremors, chest pain, low blood pressure, anaphylactic shock, or potentially, death.

What Should I Do During an Allergic Reaction to Latex?

If you experience severe symptoms, call your doctor or 911 immediately, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you suspect latex allergy, we can help you decipher the causes of your symptoms.  Give us a call at (310) 371-1388 and set up a time to come see one of our allergy doctors.

Looking out for latex allergy

Latex allergy has become more prevalent over the past 2 decades, with the increased use of latex gloves by health care providers as well as food handlers. But there are many other potential sources of latex in the environment, which can trigger allergic reactions in sensitized individuals, including the following:

• balloons (except the mylar ones)
• rubber "bouncy house" at children's parties
• tires
• exercise resistance bands
• inflatable rafts (inner tubes)
• latex gloves (dental/medical, hospitals; South Bay Allergy is latex-free)
• tourniquets
• IV ports (if hospitalized, notify hospital staff and your doctors that you are allergic to latex so they can take latex precautions)
• some Ambu bags (used in resuscitation)
• black rubber garden hoses
• fresh asphalt (made with chopped up tires)
• foam rubber (look out for foam mattress toppers or pillows, or latex pillow-top mattresses)
• elastic (not usually a big problem unless there is direct prolonged contact with skin)
• full-head rubber Halloween masks
• some mouse pads (with rubbery underside)
• some pencil erasers (the pink rubbery ones; the white ones are generally non-latex) -- can be a problem if used to erase writing, then the particles blown into the air toward the sensitive person
• Koosh balls or rubber bouncy balls
• restaurants where food preparers use latex gloves -- for example, if they make their own bread, often the cook will wear latex gloves while kneading the dough
• dog toys (rubber Kong or other chew toys that are bouncy or flexible)
• rubber soled shoes (usually not a big problem if only on the bottom, like tennis shoes, but watch out for flip-flops that are all rubber with direct skin contact)

This is not an exclusive list; check out our Resources link to the American Latex Allergy Association for more information.

Latex Allergies

It has been a well recognized fact for years that many patients with a sensitivity to latex will experience allergic symptoms (hives, itching of the mouth & throat, swelling of the lips) following the ingestion of foods that share allergenic properties with latex. The most common foods on the list include: banana, chestnut, avocado, and mango. Passion fruit has now been added to the foods to be avoided list. A recent article in the allergy literature reported on a latex allergic woman who developed oral allergy symptoms after ingesting a soft drink containing passion fruit extract.

Take home message: Patients with latex allergy should avoid ingestion of passion fruit until testing is done.