Occupational asthma due to latex surgical gloves.

Since 1979 several reports of contact urticaria due to natural latex have been well documented. Recent case reports suggest that rhinitis and asthma may also be due to rubber exposure. We describe an operating room nurse who was exposed at work to natural rubber (latex) due to the use of latex surgical gloves. After 25 years, she developed contact urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis and acute asthma following the handling of rubber gloves for surgical purposes. She was symptom-free when on vacation. Skin prick testing demonstrated an immediate skin reaction to latex. Rub testing with surgical gloves was positive. Specific IgE antibodies to latex were found by indirect ELISA. Specific bronchial challenge with latex extract elicited an isolated immediate asthmatic reaction that was inhibited with cromolyn sodium pretreatment. Patch testing to common rubber additives was negative. These results suggest that latex present in surgical rubber gloves and probably acting as inhalant allergen may produce occupational asthma in exposed subjects, probably by means of an IgE-mediated mechanism.