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Latex Allergy

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Abstract

Natural rubber is a product most consider essential for living and is used in hundreds of commercial and household manufacturing goods. The major source of natural rubber is from a milky sap, known as latex, of various trees grown in tropical regions. The main source of latex is from a tree known as Hevea brasiliensis, native to the Amazon and now grown in Southeast Asia and West Africa. Two hundred and fifty types of latex protein (Heb v) have been identified, but few are known be to be allergenic. After reports of few cases of anaphylaxis, the harm of latex allergy to the users was identified and became center of attention for research. The initial step was to search for a diagnostic tool, then educate the users, and finally prevent and manage of the affected cases. The trend of our success in understanding the concept of latex allergy, diagnosis, and its management is summarized in this report.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Medicine/Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Massoud Mahmoudi

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  1. Massoud Mahmoudi
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Correspondence to Massoud Mahmoudi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Penn State University Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

    Timothy Craig

  2. Suite 502, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Suite 502, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Dennis K. Ledford

Section Editor information

  1. Penn State University, Hershey, PA, USA

    Tim Craig DO

  2. Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Massoud Mahmoudi DO, Ph.D.

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Mahmoudi, M. (2018). Latex Allergy. In: Craig, T., Ledford, D. (eds) Allergy and Asthma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_25-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_25-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-58726-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-58726-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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