TY - JOUR
T1 - Severe anaphylaxis induced by latex as a contaminant of plastic balls in play pits
AU - Fiocchi, Alessandro
AU - Restani, Patrizia
AU - Ballabio, Cinzia
AU - Bouygue, Gabriel R.
AU - Serra, Annalisa
AU - Travaini, Marta
AU - Terracciano, Luigi
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Background: Latex causes anaphylaxis in specific contexts among children. We present 2 cases that show that severe reactions may occur in everyday circumstances with latex as a contaminant. Objective: Because 2 cases of severe reactions to latex suggested similar circumstances of exposure, we investigated the immediate environment in which episodes occurred. Methods: A 5-year-old girl presented to our casualty department with anaphylaxis after playing in a ball pit filled with approximately 10-cm diameter plastic balls in an American-style fast-food outlet. Two months later, a 9-year-old boy had severe anaphylaxis followed by an asthma attack with loss of consciousness while playing in the playpen of a different outlet belonging to the same company. Latex sensitization was confirmed in both cases by means of skin prick testing, latex glove skin prick testing, and 1-glove finger testing. Immunoblotting of elutions from a ball, the natural rubber latex foam pit lining, and its polyvinyl chloride sheet were performed. Results: In the girl's immunoblot high levels of IgE specific to Hev b 4, Hev b 7, and Hev b 2 were found, The boy's immunoblot showed positivity to Hev b 7. The polyvinyl chloride ball sample showed a high concentration of specific Hevea species allergen similar to that of the foam layer sample. Conclusion: Severe anaphylaxis can result from contact with latex proteins as a contaminant, rather than as a component, of play area ball pits and therefore outside the reported settings. Emergency health cate workers should be aware of this kind of risk, A latex-reduced environment might prevent potentially severe reactions in young customers of fast-food outlets.
AB - Background: Latex causes anaphylaxis in specific contexts among children. We present 2 cases that show that severe reactions may occur in everyday circumstances with latex as a contaminant. Objective: Because 2 cases of severe reactions to latex suggested similar circumstances of exposure, we investigated the immediate environment in which episodes occurred. Methods: A 5-year-old girl presented to our casualty department with anaphylaxis after playing in a ball pit filled with approximately 10-cm diameter plastic balls in an American-style fast-food outlet. Two months later, a 9-year-old boy had severe anaphylaxis followed by an asthma attack with loss of consciousness while playing in the playpen of a different outlet belonging to the same company. Latex sensitization was confirmed in both cases by means of skin prick testing, latex glove skin prick testing, and 1-glove finger testing. Immunoblotting of elutions from a ball, the natural rubber latex foam pit lining, and its polyvinyl chloride sheet were performed. Results: In the girl's immunoblot high levels of IgE specific to Hev b 4, Hev b 7, and Hev b 2 were found, The boy's immunoblot showed positivity to Hev b 7. The polyvinyl chloride ball sample showed a high concentration of specific Hevea species allergen similar to that of the foam layer sample. Conclusion: Severe anaphylaxis can result from contact with latex proteins as a contaminant, rather than as a component, of play area ball pits and therefore outside the reported settings. Emergency health cate workers should be aware of this kind of risk, A latex-reduced environment might prevent potentially severe reactions in young customers of fast-food outlets.
KW - Anaphylaxis
KW - Ball pits
KW - Children
KW - Natural rubber latex
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U2 - 10.1067/mai.2001.116985
DO - 10.1067/mai.2001.116985
M3 - Article
C2 - 11496251
AN - SCOPUS:0034910898
VL - 108
SP - 298
EP - 300
JO - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
JF - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
SN - 0091-6749
IS - 2
ER -