[Follow-up of allergic symptoms in a group of health workers sensitized to latex].

We studied 28 health care workers sensitised to latex and complaining of respiratory symptoms at work. All were females, aged 32 y (median), and had worked in the hospital for 12 y, in departments with high exposures (22 cases), moderate exposure (4 cases) or low exposure (2 cases) to rubber gloves. Twenty also complained of latex skin symptoms. Twenty-five (89%) were atopical (by prick test), and 16 (57%) had a personal history of allergic disease. Nine (32%) also had symptoms from exposure to latex outside work and 3 (10%) from food cross-reacting with latex. The specific inhalation test with latex gloves confirmed the diagnosis of asthma in 4 cases (14%) and of rhinitis in 13 cases (46%). We reinvestigated the workers 14 months (median) after the first examination to update exposure to latex, any allergic symptoms and adverse effects of relocation. At the follow-up, 3 workers (11%) had retired, all the others had stopped wearing powdered latex gloves, and 12 had changed their duties or the work-place. Ten (40%) of the 25 subjects still at work were without symptoms, 14 (56%) occasionally complained of mild symptoms and one of frequent rhinitis. Overall, we observed improvement of skin symptoms in 74% (14/19) of the cases and of respiratory symptoms in 56% (14/25) of the cases. Symptoms from exposure to latex outside work were still present in 6 subjects. The persistence of symptoms at work was significantly higher among workers who continued to work in departments with high/moderate latex glove exposure. The results of the study show that skin and respiratory symptoms among health care workers are related to the use of powdered latex gloves and confirm the importance of primary prevention.