Latex allergy in health care personnel

This article presents a summary of literature published in recent years about latex allergy. The first article on allergic reactions associated with latex was published in Britain in 1979. Since then, the number of reported cases has increased. A wide variety of allergic reactions that range from contact dermatitis to anaphylactic shock are described in literature. Conclusions support that health care team members must be well informed about the implications of latex allergy to better help allergic individuals.