Case scenario: perioperative latex allergy in children.

L ATEX allergy emerged as a serious health concern in the 1980s when an alarming number of cases of latex anaphylaxis occurred in patients during general anesthesia. In addition, an even greater number of local allergic reactions occurred in health care workers who wore latex gloves. The incidence of latex anaphylaxis increased dramatically through the mid-1990s, affecting three groups of infants and children undergoing general anesthesia: those with spina bifida, those with congenital urological anomalies who required frequent bladder catheterizations, and those who underwent multiple invasive surgeries involving mucosal contact by latex gloves. Despite numerous reviews on the risk factors for latex sensitivity and anaphylaxis in susceptible children, latex is often overlooked as the primary allergen in those who develop anaphylaxis in the perioperative period. We present a case history of an anaphylactic reaction to latex that was attributed to antibiotics and the subsequent follow-up with the parent.