They're among the thousands of products we have contact with every day that contain latex. An estimated one to three per cent of Americans are allergic to latex. Reactions vary from mild to severe, but the worst cases are life-threatening.
Breathing can shut down, for example.
A simple test can easily diagnose a latex allergy, but this rubber-based product is so widely used it's nearly impossible to completely avoid it. Johns Hopkins public health researcher Dr. Robyn Gershon says people at risk can treat themselves in the event of a dangerous reaction. If you get that kind of severe reaction we talked about, the immediate hypersensitivity, you should always have a medical alert bracelet on, and you should always have your eppie pen with you. Because like I said, latex is all over the place and it would be unusual if you didn't come into contact with it. At the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, I'm Tom Haederle reporting.