section_path: Allergic reactions
section_name: Allergic reactions
paragraph_text: Allergic reactions
  
  Some people have a serious latex allergy, and exposure to natural latex rubber products such as latex gloves can cause anaphylactic shock. The antigenic proteins found in Hevea latex are greatly reduced by about 99.9 percent (though not eliminated) through vulcanization processing.
  
  Latex from non- Hevea sources, such as guayule, can be used without allergic reaction by persons with an allergy to Hevea latex.
  
  Some allergic reactions are not to the latex itself, but from residues of chemicals used to accelerate the cross-linking process. Although this may be confused with an allergy to latex, it is distinct from it, typically taking the form of Type IV hypersensitivity in the presence of traces of specific processing chemicals.