Abstract

Natural rubber latex allergy is a new illness whose prevalence has reached epidemic proportions in highly exposed populations such as health care workers and who has chronic illness. After anaphylactic type reactions due to latex has been shown as case reports. The major risk factors in latex are intense exposure to latex allergens (surgical gloves, catheters, etc), atopy, hand eczema, female gender, history of multiple operations and dental interventions. An association between latex allergy and allergy to various fruits (banana, kiwi, avocado, pineapple, etc) has been reported. Latex allergy is responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms ranging from a mild dermatitis to severe anaphylaxis. In this report, we present that latex related systemic allergic reactions cases; the first one is 24 years old nurse woman who is working at the blood bank in our hospital and the other one is 32 years old woman patient who has repeatative medical examination, and in vitro fertilisation therapy plan and suffered for systemic allergic reaction due to latex gloves which was used in her last concha operations.

Key words: Latex allergy, food allergy, health care worker, and chronic illness

Article Language: Turkish English