Viral impermeability of hypoallergenic, low protein, guayule latex films.

Guayule latex proteins do not cross-react with antibodies raised against latex proteins in commercially available products manufactured from Hevea brasiliensis latex. Thus guayule latex is a promising raw material for the manufacture of hypoallergenic latex products, safe for use by people suffering from IgE-mediated Type I "latex allergy." Also, guayule latex is a low protein material and therefore unlikely to cause widespread sensitization. Latex products commonly are used as essential barriers against the transmission of disease, and so guayule hypoallergenic latex medical products would be a viable alternative only if they possess effective viral barrier properties. To address this question, fingers of prototype hand-dipped guayule latex examination gloves were tested for their permeability to a surrogate challenge virus, varphiX174. This virus has a diameter of 27 nm and is similar in size to the smallest human pathogenic viruses. Prototype guayule latex condom films were tested using synthetic blood over a range of pressures and, after 4 years of storage, with synthetic blood and with the varphiX174 virus. We concluded that guayule latex films taken from prototype hand-dipped gloves and condoms provide effective barriers to virus transmission and that they remain effective (at least in condoms) after long-term storage. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.