Evaluation of the Prevalence of Anti-Wheat-, Anti—flour Dust-, and Anti-Alpha Amylase-Specific IgE Antibodies in Blood Donors

RATIONALE: We assessed the prevalence of sensitization to latex and frequency of latex-related respiratory and cutaneous symptoms in 132 (65% female) employees (mean age 41.0 years +_ 8.7 SD) in a hospital in Terui, Italy.METHODS: All completed a questionnaire and 125 underwent skin prick tests for common aeroallergens and latex extract.RESULTS: 8 subjects (6.1%) reported rhinoconjunctivitis and 5 (3.8%) contact urticaria related to the use of latex gloves.34 subjects (25.8%) had hand itching and erythema when using latex gloves.Symptomatic subjects were more often females and slightly younger than asymptomatics.Symptomatics tended either to use more pairs of latex gloves (22.3 _+_ 20.3 vs 12.4 _+ I 1.8 pairs a day, p=0.005) or to wear them longer during the day (5.7 _+ 1.9 hours vs 4.4 ___ 2.4, p=0.003).Logistic regression models analyzed the influence of several risk factors on work-related symptoms.The number of pairs of gloves a day was the most important predictor for work-related rhinoconjunctivitis/contact urticaria (OR 3.0, p=0.08), hand itching/erythema (OR 2.9, p=0.02) or any work-related symptom (OR 3.8, p=0.002).Sensitization to common aeroallergens was present in 32.6% of symptomatic subjects and in 30.2% of asymptomatics.Positive skin prick tests to latex extract were found in 4 subjects with rhinoconjunctivitis and/or contact urticaria.CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that symptoms related to the occupational use of latex gloves are quite frequent in hospital workers.Intensity of exposure seems to facilitate onset of symptoms.The skin prick test for latex had good specificity but low sensitivity as a predictor of work-related latex symptoms.