Contact Urticaria from Rubber Gloves

Surgical rubber (latex) gloves can cause contact urticaria and even more severe allergic symptoms; the frequency of this allergy may be as high as 3 per cent among hospital employees. Those at high risk are surgeons and instrument nurses, most of whom are atopics. Clinical history of immediate rubber-glove allergy can be misleading, but the diagnosis is easily confirmed by prick, use, and RAST tests. Sensitized persons manage well by using plastic undergloves or vinyl gloves.