Latex Allergy Prevalence among Egyptian Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Cairo

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

Background: Latex allergy is a common occupational problem among healthcare workers (HCWs). Although latex allergy prevalence has been researched in various countries, data in Egyptian hospitals is lacking.
Objectives: To determine the frequency of latex allergy among the HCWs in a tertiary hospital in Egypt.
Patients and Methods:One hundred and thirty healthcare workers at Ain Shams University Hospitals participated in the current cross-sectional study in the period from September 2020 to March 2021. All participants were evaluated for symptoms related to exposure of latex products, and skin prick test (SPT) for latex protein was done.
Results: Twenty-six (20%) of HCWs had positive SPT to latex. The most common allergic manifestations reported were skin allergy (53.84%), followed by allergic rhinitis (23.07%), allergic conjunctivitis (11.53%), bronchial asthma (7.69%), and angioedema (3.84%).
Conclusion: Latex allergy prevalence among HCWs was 20%. This rate is relatively higher than previous studies.
 

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The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine
Volume 89, Issue 1
October 2022
Pages 5597-5600

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