[Latex risk prevention in San Paolo Hospital in Milan]

Several epidemiologic studies have highlighted that latex sensitization prevalence rate has increased over twenty years both in the general and working population, mainly among health care workers. Such subjects can develop immediate local or systemic hypersensitivity reactions up to anaphylactic shock. First, at San Paolo Hospital in Milan, it has been determined latex sensitization and allergy prevalence rates in health care workers involved in health surveillance. Subsequently an interdisciplinary task group has been constituted in order to plan latex pathology preventive actions in health workers and to identify the preventive measures that must be applied in allergic patients. These facets are tightly one another linked. Since latex allergy primary prevention is the most effective, but difficult to put into effect. Operational protocols, by which recognize latex allergy risk factors and reduce exposure to this substance, have developed for both workers and users. Latex allergy and sensitization occurrence will not probably be erased by these procedures application, but they will be reduced within the limits as low as possible.