Hypoallergenic Latex Found Effective in Blocking Viruses, Bacteria.

According to preliminary tests, gloves and condoms made from the natural rubber latex of a southwestern desert shrub provide an effective barrier against disease-causing organisms. The shrub is called guayule (pronounced why-you-lee).

Earlier research into guayule latex found it free of allergens that can cause severe reactions such as anaphylactic shock or even death.

The most recent findings, published in the December 5, 1999, issue of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, suggest that medical, home, and industrial products made from guayule latex may offer a safe, practical alternative to latex products made from the most common source, the Brazilian rubber tree.

Prototype patient-examination gloves and condoms made of guayule latex passed standard virus-permeability tests, according to scientists Katrina Cornish, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and C. David Lytle, recently retired from the Food and Drug Administration. The scientists found that a test virus, chosen for its small size, could not slip through the latex. Known as phi X174, the virus is smaller than bacteria and is the same size as or smaller than human pathogenic viruses such as HIV hepatitis B, and herpes simplex.