[Contact urticaria due to rubber gloves].

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Immunology

Background:

• Contact urticaria is an allergic reaction occurring on skin contact.
• Rubber gloves are a common source of occupational and daily-life exposures.
• Natural latex allergy can manifest as various dermatological symptoms.

Observation:

• Two patients presented with symptoms suggestive of contact urticaria attributed to rubber glove use.
• Open patch testing with the suspected rubber gloves elicited a wheal and flare reaction in both patients.
• The rubber gloves were identified as being made from natural latex.

Findings:

• Scratch testing with natural latex confirmed hypersensitivity in the affected patients.
• The positive scratch test reaction (wheal and flare) indicated an IgE-mediated response to natural latex.
• Twenty control subjects tested with natural latex showed no adverse reactions, supporting the specificity of the findings.

Implications:

• These findings highlight the importance of identifying natural latex as the causative agent in rubber glove-related contact urticaria.
• Diagnostic methods like patch and scratch testing are crucial for confirming latex allergy.
• Awareness and avoidance of natural latex products are recommended for sensitized individuals to prevent allergic reactions.