latex surgical gloves were first used in 1890. Their usage increased dramatically in the late 1980s when latex gloves were widely recommended to prevent transmission of blood-borne infectionsThe incidence of allergic reactions to latex began to rise rapidly among patients and health care workers in the 1990s. Since then, new synthetic glove materials have been introduced, which have different properties with regards to strength, comfort and sensitivity. However, the majority of surgical gloves are still made from latex.
