Latex is a milky white sap tapped from rubber trees. It's used in thousands of products, but is especially common in medical settings. Sensitivity to latex became a growing concern in the health-care industry in the late 1980s, after the federal government set up requirements to slow the spread of HIV and other infectious diseases. By the 1990s, the use of latex gloves had shot up from 12 billion nationally to more than 200 billion pairs a year. With the increased use came more reports of trouble.
Some workers seem to be sensitive to repeated contact with latex on their skin and develop rashes.
Others have breathing problems. That may stem from the cornstarch powder inside the gloves that makes them easier to get on and off. It can send latex proteins into the air and trigger allergic reactions. As a response, some manufacturers have been making gloves of vinyl and other synthetic alternatives. But latex gloves retain a strong following among some health professionals.