These chemicals can cause skin reactions similar to those caused by poison ivy. As with poison ivy, the rash usually begins 24 to 48 hours after contact and may progress to oozing skin blisters and spread away from the area of skin touched by the latex. Unlike Irritant Contact Dermatitis, Chemical Sensitivity Dermatitis may affect the immune system. Systemic Reactions Systemic Reactions are true allergic reactions caused by protein antibodies in the latex. They may be serious and potentially lethal.
Some patients can experience irritation of the nasal passages similar to hay fever.
Patients with a topical sensitivity to latex should be considered at increased risk of a systemic reaction. An even more dangerous form of systemic latex allergy is an immediate hypersensitivity to latex, i.e., anaphylaxis, which can result in seriously low blood pressure, breathing difficulty, broncho constriction and even death. Although the amount of exposure needed to cause sensitization or symptoms is not known, exposures, at even very low levels, can trigger anaphylatic reactions in some sensitized individuals. Reactions usually begin within minutes of exposure to latex, but they can occur hours later. He has 20 years experience as a volunteer fire and EMS provider on Long Island.