Summary Background Quantification of natural rubber latex (NRL) allergens of NRL glove extracts has been reported in several studies. Similarly, immunoassay studies reporting the level of NRL aeroallergens in air samples have been published. When studying the NRL allergens of gloves, however, little attention has been focused on identifying the relationship between extractable NRL allergens of medical gloves and NRL aeroallergens in indoor air. Objective In an experimental study we analysed NRL aeroallergens of medical gloves in joint relation to total airborne dust concentration and NRL allergen concentration in gloves. Methods NRL aeroallergen level was measured using a chamber setting with 18 lots of powdered medical gloves. In each setting 10 pairs of powdered NRL gloves were swinging in an unventilated chamber (9 m3). Air samples were collected using airflow through Millipore filters (pore size 0.8 µm). The filters were weighed before and after the experiment, and total airborne dust concentration in the chamber was calculated. The filter samples were then extracted and the NRL allergen level measured by IgE ELISA-inhibition assay. Furthermore, cut NRL gloves were extracted and analysed by the same method. Finally, levels of two major NRL allergens, Hev b1 and Hev b 6.02, were measured in three selected NRL glove brands. Results The NRL aeroallergen level in the chamber air ranged from
