Primary prevention of allergy caused by natural rubber latex in the German health care system [Primärprävention der typ-I-allergie gegen latex aus naturkautschuk im Deutschen gesundheitswesen]

Abstract

Background: Health care workers are at risk of developing occupational asthma (OA) and allergic skin reactions due to natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy. This study assesses the effects of intervention to reduce the incidence of NRL allergy in personnel working in acute care hospitals insured by the German statutory accident insurance company for health care workers (BGW) by switching to powder-free NRL gloves. Methods: The annual numbers of reported suspected cases of NRL-caused occupational allergy from 1996 to 2002 and the amount and type of gloves used in German acute care hospitals from 1986 to 2002 were analyzed (source: GPI Krankenhausforschung, Frankfurt, Germany). Results: The purchase of powder-free NRL examination gloves exceeded cornstarch-powdered gloves for the first time in 1998. The incidence of suspected occupational allergy cases caused by NRL rose until 1997 (OA) and 1998 (skin allergy). By 2002 there was a 83% decrease of new skin allergy cases and a 87.5% reduction of reported new cases of OA. Conclusion: The introduction of powder-free gloves has been associated with a decline in the number of suspected cases of OA and allergic skin symptoms caused by NRL in German acute care hospitals. Primary prevention of occupational NRL allergy can be achieved by simply switching to powder-free NRL gloves in health care facilities.