A client develops wheezing and hives within minutes of latex exposure. This reaction is most consistent with which hypersensitivity?

A client develops wheezing and hives within minutes of latex exposure. This reaction is most consistent with which hypersensitivity?

• A. Type I
• B. Type II
• C. Type III
• D. Type IV

Answer: (A)

A rapid, IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity is at play here. When someone who is sensitized to latex is exposed, the allergen cross-links IgE antibodies that sit on the surface of mast cells and basophils. This triggers immediate degranulation and release of mediators like histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins. Those mediators cause itching and swelling of the skin (hives) and bronchoconstriction, leading to wheezing. The reaction happens within minutes, which is the hallmark of this type. The other hypersensitivity types involve different mechanisms and typically don’t present with this quick, systemic anaphylaxis-like pattern. Type II is antibody-mediated cytotoxicity against cell surfaces, Type III involves immune complex deposition causing inflammation, and Type IV is a delayed T-cell–mediated response that appears after 24–72 hours.

A rapid, IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity is at play here. When someone who is sensitized to latex is exposed, the allergen cross-links IgE antibodies that sit on the surface of mast cells and basophils. This triggers immediate degranulation and release of mediators like histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins. Those mediators cause itching and swelling of the skin (hives) and bronchoconstriction, leading to wheezing. The reaction happens within minutes, which is the hallmark of this type.

The other hypersensitivity types involve different mechanisms and typically don’t present with this quick, systemic anaphylaxis-like pattern. Type II is antibody-mediated cytotoxicity against cell surfaces, Type III involves immune complex deposition causing inflammation, and Type IV is a delayed T-cell–mediated response that appears after 24–72 hours.