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Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Edlich, RF; Woodard, CR; Hill, LG; Heather, CL
Published in: J Long Term Eff Med Implants
2003

Latex allergy has become a global epidemic, affecting patients, healthcare workers, and scientific personnel. Today, the incidence of latex allergy in healthcare and scientific personnel varies from 17-36%, costing billions of dollars annually to treat. Consequently, it is the purpose of this special report to describe the etiology, immunology, diagnosis, management, prevention, and litigation of cases of latex allergy. The latex allergy epidemic has been attributed to the dramatic increase in glove usage following the establishment of Universal Precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of the latex allergy epidemic, every hospital and scientific research facility should institute a comprehensive emergency treatment program for latex allergic patients, latex-safe areas in their facilities, and a prevention program that includes the wide use of latex-free gloves and the absence of powdered gloves throughout these facilities.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Long Term Eff Med Implants

DOI

ISSN

1050-6934

Publication Date

2003

Volume

13

Issue

1

Start / End Page

11 / 19

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Patients
  • Medical Laboratory Personnel
  • Latex Hypersensitivity
  • Incidence
  • Humans
  • Health Personnel
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Biomedical Engineering
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Edlich, R. F., Woodard, C. R., Hill, L. G., & Heather, C. L. (2003). Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients. J Long Term Eff Med Implants, 13(1), 11–19. https://doi.org/10.1615/jlongtermeffmedimplants.v13.i1.20
Edlich, Richard F., Charles R. Woodard, Lisa G. Hill, and Cynthia L. Heather. “Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients.J Long Term Eff Med Implants 13, no. 1 (2003): 11–19. https://doi.org/10.1615/jlongtermeffmedimplants.v13.i1.20.
Edlich RF, Woodard CR, Hill LG, Heather CL. Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients. J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2003;13(1):11–9.
Edlich, Richard F., et al. “Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients.J Long Term Eff Med Implants, vol. 13, no. 1, 2003, pp. 11–19. Pubmed, doi:10.1615/jlongtermeffmedimplants.v13.i1.20.
Edlich RF, Woodard CR, Hill LG, Heather CL. Latex allergy: a life-threatening epidemic for scientists, healthcare personnel, and their patients. J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2003;13(1):11–19.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Long Term Eff Med Implants

DOI

ISSN

1050-6934

Publication Date

2003

Volume

13

Issue

1

Start / End Page

11 / 19

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Patients
  • Medical Laboratory Personnel
  • Latex Hypersensitivity
  • Incidence
  • Humans
  • Health Personnel
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Biomedical Engineering