Tarlo S M, Sussman G L, Holness D L
The Gage Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1997 Mar;99(3):396-401. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(97)70058-7.
Dental practitioners, like other health care providers who regularly use latex gloves, are at increased risk for latex sensitivity. They are also at risk for irritant or allergic contact dermatitis.
This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of latex sensitivity and possible risk factors in staff and students of a Faculty of Dentistry.
A cross-sectional study was performed by using a questionnaire and allergy skin prick testing.
Two hundred three students and staff members completed the questionnaire. Five percent reported asthma symptoms on exposure to rubber products, 13% reported symptoms of rhinitis or conjunctivitis, and 17% reported pruritus or urticaria within minutes of exposure to rubber. Overall, 10% of 131 subjects who underwent skin prick tests had a positive response to natural rubber latex. Among the students tested, there were increasing percentages of positive skin test responses to latex with increasing years of study (0% of Year 1 and 2 students tested; 6% of Year 3; and 10% of Year 4). Positive responses were seen as early as Year 3 in students (in their second year of clinical activity and glove use). Positive skin prick test responses to latex were related to a personal history of atopy (p = 0.005), positive prick test responses to common allergens (p < 0.005), latex-attributed immediate pruritus or urticaria (p < 0.05), rhinoconjunctivitis (p < 0.001), and asthma symptoms (p < 0.001).
Dental school students and faculty are at high risk for latex sensitization. This occurs as early as the second year of glove use. Overall prevalence of skin sensitization was 10% of those tested. Preventive strategies in this group merit further investigation.
牙科从业者与其他经常使用乳胶手套的医护人员一样，对乳胶敏感的风险更高。他们还面临刺激性或过敏性接触性皮炎的风险。
本研究旨在确定牙科学院教职员工和学生中乳胶敏感的患病率及可能的风险因素。
采用问卷调查和过敏皮肤点刺试验进行横断面研究。
203名学生和教职员工完成了问卷调查。5%的人报告在接触橡胶制品时出现哮喘症状，13%的人报告有鼻炎或结膜炎症状，17%的人报告在接触橡胶后几分钟内出现瘙痒或荨麻疹。总体而言，在131名接受皮肤点刺试验的受试者中，10%对天然橡胶乳胶呈阳性反应。在接受测试的学生中，随着学习年限的增加，对乳胶皮肤试验呈阳性反应的百分比也在增加（一年级和二年级接受测试的学生中为0%；三年级为6%；四年级为10%）。学生在三年级（临床活动和使用手套的第二年）就出现了阳性反应。对乳胶皮肤点刺试验呈阳性反应与特应性个人史（p = 0.005）、对常见过敏原点刺试验呈阳性反应（p < 0.005）、乳胶引起的即刻瘙痒或荨麻疹（p < 0.05）、鼻结膜炎（p < 0.001）和哮喘症状（p < 0.001）有关。
牙科专业的学生和教职员工乳胶致敏风险很高。这种情况早在使用手套的第二年就会出现。皮肤致敏的总体患病率为接受测试者的10%。该群体的预防策略值得进一步研究。
