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LAM - Latex Allergy Management

 

Latex Allergy

"An allergy is condition of hypersensitivity in certain persons to substances harmless to most individuals. Some people have characterized allergy as immunity "gone wrong."  In the immune reaction, contact with a disease-producing microorganism or a toxin prompts an individual to build up antibodies (proteins related to globulin serum) against the offending organism or toxin so that he or she will be protected against further exposure.  All normal people are able to produce such protective antibodies, but in some the capacity to differentiate potentially harmful substances from harmless ones is absent.  These persons produce antibodies against one or many inoffensive substances and thus are said to be allergic.  When an antibody reacts with an antigen (a substance that stimulates the formation of antibodies) an allergic reaction results." (1)

What are the symptoms of a Latex Allergy attack?

There are two kinds of reactions: Delayed and Immediate.  The most common being delayed.

Symptoms of Delayed reaction are:

  • Itchy, red swollen rash which appears on the areas of the body that touched latex.
  • Blisters may appear.
  • Symptoms generally emerge 10 to 30 hours after contact.

Symptoms of Immediate reaction are:

  • Hay fever-like symptoms -- nasal stuffiness, sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and eyes, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
  • Hives, itchy welts on any part of your body.
  • Anaphylaxis reaction -- blocked airway, swelling of the throat, cannot breathe, a drop in blood pressure and possibly cardiac arrest.
  • Symptoms can occur within minutes and may involve parts of the body that did not come in contact with the latex.  (For example, during a dental exam, gloves worn by the examiner and put into your mouth can cause hives all over your body.)

Severe cases of allergic reaction of the Immediate type could be life threatening and worsen progressively with each exposure or the duration of exposure time.  LAM can provide you with ways to limit or eliminate needless exposure and risks stemming from contact with latex products in your work or health care environment.

 

LAM - Latex Allergy Management - EMAIL

(1) Quoted from: "Allergy," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 96 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. (c) Funk & Wagnalls Corporation. All rights reserved.

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