Prevalence and Methodology of Evaluation for Latex Allergy Among Allergists in the United States: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Almost all responding allergists evaluated patients for latex allergy, with approximately two thirds utilizing prick testing.

Percutaneous reactivity to natural rubber latex proteins persists in health‐care workers following avoidance of natural rubber latex

“…However, an FDA‐approved NRL skin test reagent is not commercially available in the United States [27, 48]. As a consequence, most allergists (64%) utilize NAL‐specific IgE serology as the initial test in the evaluation of NRL allergy [49]. US FDA‐cleared serological assays for NRL‐specific IgE are readily available.…”

Investigative methods for natural rubber latex allergy in the UK

“…Prick testing, as with glove challenge, is known to have the potential to cause anaphylactic reactions (4). In a survey of allergists in the USA, 6% of respondents reported episodes of anaphylaxis in patients undergoing latex allergy testing, most of these from using a homemade solution or while performing a use test (5). 17% of the investigators in this survey indicated that they are not willing to perform prick testing or glove challenge because of this risk or because of lack of equipment or staff, thereby relying for diagnosis on the less‐sensitive measurement of latex‐specific IgE (6).…”