Until the late 1980's, however, most healthcare professionals wore latex gloves only occasionally. As a result, many healthcare professionals, particularly those working in and around the emergency room, surgical suites and critical care units, found themselves wearing latex gloves almost constantly during their shifts. Latex glove use increased from approximately 800 million gloves used in 1987 to approximately 10 billion gloves used in 1995. While increased glove use was intended to prevent the spread of HIV and other blood-born pathogens, it had another consequence. It exposed healthcare professionals to the threat of Type I latex allergy.
Sensitization is caused by both direct and airborne contact with the proteins.
Direct contact occurs by wearing the gloves. Airborne contact occurs by inhaling the proteins that have attached to the corn starch powder particles. Those particles are aerosolized with the donning and doffing of the gloves. These allergic reactions can lead to chronic illness, disability, career loss and death. Research indicates that high levels of extractable proteins arising from short cuts taken in the manufacturing process have had a major impact in causing sensitization.