Irritant dermatitis latex

Immunologic Exposure to latex is associated with three clinical syndromes irritant dermatitis, delayed hypersensitivity reactions, and the most serious, but least common, immediate or type 1 hypersensitivity. Exposure to latex can occur through the skin, mucous membranes, or airways. Gloves used for examination, surgical or household, are often the cause of allergic reactions. 

Irritant contact dermatitis results from first-time exposures to irritating substances such as soaps, plants, cleaning solutions, or solvents. Allergic contact dermatitis occurs after an initial sensitivity and further exposure to allergenic substances, including poison ivy, latex, and certain types of metals. 

Occupational health and safety in the rubber industry is discussed with reference to UK, US and European legislation. The review covers both natural and synthetic rubber industries. The first section outlines the laws affecting health and safety in the industry and the remainder presents specific health and safety issues of interest to employers and employees. Industrial safety is examined with reference to equipment, fire and explosions, solvents, epidemiology, NR latex allergy, skin irritations and dermatitis, dust and fume control, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, nitrosamines, 1,3-butadiene, and handling of rubber chemicals. 484 refs. 

A detailed review is presented of the literature on cutaneous reactions to rubber, the aspects covered including latex allergy, irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. The adverse cutaneous reactions to rubber occurring following industrial and occupational or consumer exposure to rubber chemicals or products or to natural rubber latex proteins are discussed. 261 refs. 

Ten of 12 workers experienced acute irritant contact dermatitis of the hands after 2 days of direct contact. In the most severe case, a woman with no previous skin problems, who wore latex gloves intermittently, had painful swelling of the fingers of both hands with redness and vesicles on the palms. The affected skin later became thickened and showed a brownish discoloration. Another worker noticed small vesicles on the forehead, probably due to scratching with contaminated fingers. All cutaneous reactions cleared within 3 weeks of termination of exposure. Gas chromatograph analysis of the NMP used at the factory did not reveal any contaminating compounds. 

Irritation form occlusion, friction, and maceration Allergic reactions to glove materials (natural and synthetic latex, plastic, polymer additives, dyes, glove powder) Contact dermatitis... 

Uses Surfactant used in formulation of textile auxs., emulsifiers, as domestic and industrial cleaner, for agrochem. prods., cosmetics, resin emulsion, etc. grease remover in tannery compounding aid for polymer and plastics industry anticoagulant for latex paints Properties Turbid Iiq. polyol char, odor sol. in water sp.gr. 0.95 vise. 25-45 cps vapor pressure < 0.01 mm Hg (20 C) m.p. = 10 C m.p. 5-6 C b.p. > 100 C HLB 8.3 hyd. no. 169-184 flash pt. (COC) > 250 C pH 6.5-7.5 (1% aq.) nonionic 0.2% moisture Toxicology Repeated contact with skin can cause dermatitis eye irritant ing. of Ig. amts, will result in diarrhea and weakness Environmental Biodeg. 

Hamann CP (1993) Natural rubber latex protein sensitivity in review. Am J Contact Dermat 4 4-21 Hansson C, Agrup G (1993) Stability of 2-mercaptopbenzothiaz-ole (MBT). Contact Dermatitis 28 29-34 Heese A, von Hintzenstern J, Peters K-P, Koch HU, Hornstein OP (1991) Allergic and irritant reactions to rubber gloves in medical health services. J Am Acad Dermatol 25 831-839 Heese A, Peters K-P, Hornstein OP (1992) Anaphylactic reaction to unexpected latex in polychloroprene gloves. Contact Dermatitis 27 336-337... 

The recent dramatic increase of occupational contact dermatitis in dental personnel may be ascribed to (1) the common use of (powdered) latex gloves, (2) the introduction of potent contact sensitizing and irritating materials, such as new (meth)acrylates and (3) lacking and/or insufficient protective measures taken. 

Gloves made of rubber (latex, nitrile, or butyl), plastic, or synthetic rubber-like material (such as Neoprene) protect workers from bums, irritation, and dermatitis caused by contact with oils, greases, solvents, and other chemicals. The use of rubber gloves also reduces the risk of exposure to blood and other potentially infectious substances. 

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