Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Cochin-Maternités, Paris.
A case is reported of severe anaphylactic shock occurring in a 32 yr old woman after foetal extraction during caesarean section. The agent responsible was the latex from the surgical gloves used. This was proved by the different allergological tests carried out: positive prick-tests to the latex, positive human basophil degranulation test and the finding of specific anti-latex IgE. All the tests carried out using the anaesthetic drugs were negative.