Sensitisation to natural rubber latex: an epidemiological study of workers exposed during tapping and glove manufacture in Thailand
N Chaieara d, S Sadhrab, M Jonesc, P Cullinanc, I S Fouldsb, P S Burged
a Community
Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon
Kaen 40002, Thailand, b Institute
of Occupational Health, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham
B15 2TT, UK, c Department of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, Imperial College (National Heart and Lung Institute), London
SW3 6LR, UK, d Occupational
Lung Disease Unit, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9
5SS, UK
Correspondence to: Dr N Chaiear naesin-s{at}medlib2.kku.ac.th
OBJECTIVES
To estimate
the prevalence of sensitisation to natural rubber latex in latex
tappers and latex glove factory workers, and to relate this to airborne
exposure to latex.
METHODSFive hundred
workers employed in three latex glove factories, 314 tappers, and 144 college students (control group) were studied. The workers in the glove
factories were classified into three exposure groups; high, moderate,
and low. Personal exposures to natural rubber latex aeroallergens were
measured by immunoassay. Symptom questionnaires and skin prick tests
with latex allergens (Stallergènes 1:200 w/v) and other common
environmental allergens were performed. The criterion for positivity
was a wheal reaction at least 3 mm in diameter greater than that to a
diluent control.
RESULTSThe geometric
mean (GM) concentration of latex in air was 15.4 µg/m3
for those employed in glove stripping, glove inspections, and packing
of powdered gloves. The moderate exposure glove manufacturing group and
the tappers had GM concentrations of 2.3 and 2.4 µg/m3
respectively, compared with United Kingdom users of latex powdered gloves,who had GM concentrations of 0.5 µg/m3. The
prevalence of sensitisation to latex in the tappers and latex glove
factory workers was 1.3% and 1.7% respectively. No positive cases
were found among the college students. Workers who showed a positive
skin prick test to latex were more likely to be atopic. Work related
respiratory and dermatological symptoms were found in about 20% of
each population studied, but were not related to the presence of
positive latex prick tests.
CONCLUSIONSThis study
suggests that in the Thai latex industries, latex sensitisation is rare
despite high concentrations of airborne exposure and is less prevalent
than in the healthcare sector in Europe where skin exposure is greater.
Keywords: natural rubber; latex; allergy; glove factory; healthcare
© 2001 by Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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