Non-allergenic latex moves closer to market
Yulex Corporation, a producer of a natural rubber latex that is safe for people at risk from allergic reactions, has signed a distribution agreement with rubber distributor Centrotrade USA and its sister company Centrotrade Deutschland.
Derived from the desert plant Guayule, the latex Yulex does not contain the proteins found in imported latex from tropical rubber tree plantations.
The results of a recent clinical laboratory study indicated no detectable allergic reaction to commercial grade natural rubber latex derived from Guayule. Because the proteins present in Yulex latex are not cross-reactive with Hevea brasiliensis latex allergens, products manufactured with Guayule latex should be safe for Hev-b latex allergic individuals, according to Robert Hamilton, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, US.
The UK Health and Safety Executive says allergic reactions due to exposure to conventional rubber latex have increased significantly over the past 10 years, particularly in healthcare occupations. It says 1-6 % of the general population is potentially sensitised to latex and some studies report up to 17% of healthcare workers are at risk of reactions.