A Case Report of Anaphylaxis in Health Care Personnel: The Importance of History-Taking and Occupational Health Management
Metawee Puybandit¹, Naesinee Chaiear¹, Sawinee Kasa²
Affiliation : ¹ Department of Community, Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; ² Clinical Laboratory Section, Srinagarind hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
The authors described a 43-year-old male Thai practical nurse (PN) who developed anaphylaxis several times between 2013 and 2019, possibly caused by jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) ingestion. The occupational medicine physician suspected that the anaphylaxis might be due to a cross reaction of these plants to latex protein in medical gloves as this PN had a history of contact urticaria while using disposable latex gloves in December 2014. The symptoms disappeared after he used sterile latex powdered gloves with reusable. According to the history and the result of specific IgE against latex of 28.1 KUA/L and jackfruit of 1.61 KUA/L, although no skin prick test was performed, he was then diagnosed with latex-fruit syndrome. The use of nitrile gloves and latex products avoidance were advised. At the 1-year follow-up, he had no recurrent allergic symptoms or anaphylaxis.
Received 16 October 2023 | Revised 12 November 2023 | Accepted 13 November 2023
DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2023.11.13916
Keywords : Anaphylaxis; Eggplant; Jackfruit; Latex allergy; Latex-fruit syndrome
