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NEWS & INFORMATION
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Source To Surgery - June 1993, Vol. 1 Issue II
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Mayo Data Impacts Manufacturers of Gloves
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In what may well be a future market trend, Mayo Medical Center, out of growing concern for a safe working environment for both employees
and patients, has initiated procedures whereby only the lowest allergen latex examination and surgical gloves are to be purchased. Dr. John
Yunginger of Mayo Allergy Research reported to the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology (AAAI) national meeting in Chicago in
March. Mayo studies of latex allergy have begun to reveal data which may cause discomfort to some latex glove vendors who vie for the clinic's
annual business, which exceeded 8 million gloves last year. Yunginger measured the extractable latex allergen and protein in 71 lots of rubber
gloves. They then compared the allergen levels with extracts from other medical and consumer rubber products.
Allergen levels in 15 lots of powdered exam gloves from 10 different manufacturers varied more than 10,000 fold. Significantly less allergen and
protein could be extracted from powder free gloves than from powdered gloves. Testing of surgical gloves also revealed a wide range of
extractable allergen levels (approximately 2,000 fold) among gloves from different manufacturers and among gloves from the same manufacturer.
Other conclusions resulting from these tests: I) extreme variability in latex allergen content of latex gloves, with highest allergen levels in
powdered gloves; 2) extractable protein content of latex gloves does not correlate with latex allergen content; 3) gloves contain the highest levels
of extractable allergens when compared to other rubber products tested.
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