Non Allergenic Type of Latex Glove Available

A new patient examination glove is made from a new form of natural rubber latex derived from the guayule bush Parthenium argentatum, a desert plant native to the Southwestern United States.

The Yulex patient examination glove was developed for people who are highly allergic to traditional latex. The natural guayule latex is an alterative to synthetics and does not contain the tropical proteins that cause potentially life-threatening reactions in people with Type 1 latex allergy. In addition to their low levels, guayule proteins did not cross-react with the antibodies to tropical proteins in trials involving animal and humans. These trials included Dr. H's blood test, western blot analysis, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), skin-prick tests, and in vitro RAST (radioallergosorbent assay) assays. The gloves are an effective barrier to human viruses and can be stored for years without the deterioration of their barrier capabilities. The Yulex guayule films show slightly higher tensile strength than tropical natural latex films or nitrile synthetic latex films. The Yulex films exceed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for surgical gloves and are 33% stronger than synthetic polyisoprene latex films.

The Yulex patient examination glove is made by the Yulex (Maricopa, AZ, USA), and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, since there is no long-term experience data with the Yulex glove, the product will carry a warning regarding the possibility of allergic reactions.

"This approval has the potential to make a significant difference to both the general public and the medical community at large,” said Daniel Schultz, M.D., director of FDA's center for devices and radiological health. "Gloves made from guayule latex may prove to be a safer alternative for some people with sensitivity to traditional latex. And yet they will not sacrifice the desirable properties of traditional latex such as flexibility and strength.”

Between 3% and 22% of all health care workers are sensitized to traditional latex gloves made from the milky sap of a rubber tree Hevea braziliensis, the sap of which contains a protein that may trigger allergic reactions, especially after prolonged and repeated contact. Sensitized people may experience mild reactions such as skin redness, rash, hives, or itching. More severe reactions may include respiratory symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing spells, and wheezing. Rarely, shock may occur.


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