INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES: Latex gloves are made from natural rubber latex (NRL) manufactured after drawing the raw material from the rubber tree. The gloves are widely used in health and environmental care because of their durability, comfort and tactile properties. They are ideal for providing barrier protection against potentially infectious materials. More than 99% of devices used for commercial purposes are from one species of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis. There are about 250 different proteins found in NRL with about 5% or 11 of these proteins having been identified as allergens that can induce hypersensitivity reactions. Both residual proteins and chemical compounds used in the production of latex gloves and devices are capable of causing the development of reactions. An average of 50% of medical devices contain latex, and this is worth noting when dealing with latex allergic patients.
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