This article is part of the supplement: 51st Annual Meeting of the Society for Research into Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida

Oral presentation

Current prevalence of latex sensitization in children with spina bifida with use of latex precautions

Eric Levey¹ , Susan Demetrides¹, Robert Hamilton² and N Franklin Adkinson²

¹Keelty Center for Spina Bifida, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Asthma, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

²Allergy Center, Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

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from 51^st Annual Meeting of the Society for Research into Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida
Heidelberg, Germany. 27–30 June 2007

Cerebrospinal Fluid Research 2007, 4(Suppl 1):S13doi:10.1186/1743-8454-4-S1-S13

Published:	20 December 2007

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Children with spina bifida (SB) historically were found to have high rates (up to 50%) of latex sensitization and allergy believed due to repeated high-risk exposures including surgeries and catheterization. Latex allergy can in some cases be life-threatening and certainly impacts quality of life. Since the association between SB and latex has been substantiated, most SB Centers have begun using latex avoidance measures with presumed lower rates of sensitization. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of latex sensitization and allergy in a population of children with spina bifida that was born after the institution of latex avoidance measures, and to assess associated risk factors for latex sensitization.