Final answer:
There is no known cure for latex allergy; it is true that individuals with this condition must avoid latex. Allergies result from an immune system overly reactive to harmless substances, while autoimmune diseases attack the body's own tissues. Latex allergies involve Type IV hypersensitivity and cause symptoms due to the immune system responding to harmless proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that there is no known cure for a latex allergy. People with a latex allergy have an over-reactive immune system that identifies latex as harmful, even though it is not. The allergic reaction can cause a range of symptoms, from skin irritation (contact dermatitis) to severe anaphylactic reactions. Avoiding latex-containing products is currently the best method to prevent reactions in individuals with this allergy.
Allergies are indeed the result of an over-reactive immune system, which misidentifies harmless substances as threats and mounts an unnecessary and often harmful response. In contrast, autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly targets the body's own tissues. Type IV hypersensitivity, such as a reaction to latex, contact dermatitis, and the tuberculin reaction, is a delayed immune response initiated by T cells.
An allergy can be described as a non-protective immune response because the immune system reacts to a harmless environmental protein (allergen) with unpleasant symptoms like watery, itchy eyes, and sneezing. This is supported by the detection of specific antibodies to foreign proteins in the blood of allergic individuals, indicating an immune response to something that is not actually a threat to the body.