Abstract

RATSHIKHOPHA, M E et al. High concentrations of natural rubber latex allergens in gloves used by laboratory health personnel in South Africa. SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. [online]. 2015, vol.105, n.1, pp.43-46. ISSN 2078-5135.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.8082.

INTRODUCTION: Gloves made of natural rubber latex (NRL) are commonly used by healthcare workers because of their good qualities. However, allergic reactions to latex allergens are still commonly reported.OBJECTIVE: To measure the concentrations of Hev b 1, Hev b 3, Hev b 5 and Hev b 6.02 allergens in gloves used by a large laboratory service in South Africa.METHODS: NRL gloves as well as non-latex gloves supplied by various suppliers that were used by the laboratory personnel during the period June 2009 - May 2010 were obtained from various suppliers on the vendor list. Proteins were extracted from the gloves and Hev b 1, Hev b 3, Hev b 5 and Hev b 6.02 allergens were quantified using the FITkit assay.RESULTS: Twenty NRL gloves from 13 different brands were analysed. Only four (20%) of the 20 NRL gloves analysed had a total allergen content <0.15 μg/g, the suggested threshold limit for low allergenicity for the sum of these four allergens.CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that a very low proportion of gloves tested had a total allergen content below the threshold for low allergenicity.

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