rosin and Eczema

Rosin of different sources is commonly used in many technical products and is known to cause contact allergy. The aim of the present investigation was to study the frequency of occupational dermatoses and of contact allergy to rosin in a factory producing tall-oil rosin. 163/180 present employees and 17/35 former employees participated in the study, which consisted of interview, clinical examination and patch testing with a standard series and additional rosins. 1/4 of those examined had some kind of current skin lesion. There were 10 cases of hand eczema. 7 subjects were patch-test-positive to gum rosin in the standard series. This frequency is about the same as among dermatitis patients at our clinic. Only 1 reaction to tall-oil rosin and none to the modified rosins tested were found. No relation between a positive patch test reaction to rosin and current skin disease could be established. No case of ongoing occupational skin disease was proved.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chemical Industry; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Eczema; Female; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant; Sweden

A patient with recurrent face and eyelid eczema after establishing an eco-friendly refill business, she was selling bees wax wraps as part of her business. This case raises awareness of bees wax wraps being a new potential eco-friendly source of colophonium allergic contact dermatitis.

Topics: Adult; Allergens; Bees; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Eczema; Exanthema; Female; Humans; Resins, Plant

Patients with lower leg dermatitis, chronic venous insufficiency or chronic leg ulcers have a high prevalence of contact sensitization.. To identify the current spectrum of contact allergens in these patients.. Data of the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology on 5264 patients with the above diagnoses from the years 2003 to 2014 (study group) were compared with data on 4881 corresponding patients from 1994 to 2003 (historical control group) and with a current control group without these diagnoses (n = 55 510).. Allergic contact dermatitis was diagnosed less frequently in the study group than in the historical control group (25.9% versus 16.9%; p < 0.001), and contact sensitization to most allergens had declined. The allergen spectrum, however, was largely unchanged. Important allergens are Myroxylon pereirae (balsam of Peru) (14.8% positive reactions), fragrance mix I (11.4%), lanolin alcohol (7.8%), colophonium (6.6%), neomycin sulfate (5.0%), cetearyl alcohol (4.4%), oil of turpentine (3.1%), and paraben mix (2.6%). Patch testing with additional series showed sensitization to Amerchol L-101 (9.7%), tert-butyl hydroquinone (8.7%), framycetin sulfate (5.0%), and gentamicin sulfate (3.1%).. Topical preparations for treating the above-mentioned conditions should not contain fragrances, Myroxylon pereirae, and colophonium. The special allergen spectrum has to be considered in patch testing.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Allergens; Balsams; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatology; Eczema; Female; Humans; Lanolin; Leg Dermatoses; Leg Ulcer; Male; Middle Aged; Myroxylon; Patch Tests; Perfume; Resins, Plant

Occupational contact dermatitis is common in healthcare workers. Although irritant contact dermatitis resulting from wet work is the most frequently reported cause, healthcare workers also constitute high-risk group for the development of allergic contact dermatitis and contact urticaria.. To evaluate the prevalence of delayed-type and immediate-type hypersensitivity in 120 healthcare workers with hand eczema.. One hundred and twenty healthcare workers from three major hospitals in Denmark with self-reported hand eczema within the last year participated in the study. Patch tests included baseline series plus selected allergens, and prick tests included standard inhalational allergens plus natural rubber latex and chlorhexidine. Levels of IgE specific for latex, chlorhexidine and ethylene oxide were measured.. Of the participants, 53% had positive patch test reactions. The most frequent positive patch test reactions were to nickel, thiomersal, fragrances, rubber chemicals, and colophonium. The prevalence of natural rubber latex allergy as diagnosed by prick testing was 2.5%, and chlorhexidine allergy (both contact allergy and IgE-mediated allergy) was found in <1%. Ethylene oxide allergy was not identified in any of the participants.. Our results confirm previous reports on contact allergy patterns in healthcare workers. Testing for natural rubber latex allergy is still important, but increased risks of chlorhexidine and ethylene oxide allergy could not be confirmed.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Allergens; Chlorhexidine; Denmark; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Disinfectants; Eczema; Ethylene Oxide; Female; Hand Dermatoses; Health Personnel; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Delayed; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Latex Hypersensitivity; Male; Middle Aged; Nickel; Patch Tests; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; Prevalence; Resins, Plant; Skin Tests; Thimerosal

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of contact sensitization in patients with lower extremity dermatitis.. Between the years 2001 and 2007, the authors investigated 462 patients (mean age 49.1 years, 196 men and 266 women) with the eczema/dermatitis localized on their lower extremities, including feet. The patients were investigated with epicutaneous tests of the European Standard Series and also with other special patch tests.. The most frequent allergens were balsam of Peru, 44/462 (9.5%); wool alcohols, 41/462 (8.9%); nickel sulphate, 39/462 (8.4%); propolis, 35/462 (7.6%); fragrance mix, 34 (7.4%) and colophony, 29/462 (6.3%).. In patients with lower extremity dermatitis the frequency of contact sensitization is still high, and therefore investigation with epicutaneous tests should belong to the routine dermatological diagnostic procedure in these patients.

Topics: Animals; Balsams; Czech Republic; Dermatitis, Contact; Eczema; Female; Humans; Leg; Male; Middle Aged; Nickel; Patch Tests; Perfume; Propolis; Resins, Plant; Wool

Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Allergens; Antineoplastic Agents; Cross Reactions; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Eczema; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Resins, Plant; Tars

To estimate the occurrence of skin symptoms and the prevalence of contact allergy to occupational allergens, 84 male woodwork teachers were interviewed, clinically examined and patch tested. The tests included a supplemented European standard series and acetone extracts of wood dust of pine, spruce, juniper and birch. In addition, 10 colophony-allergic volunteers were tested with dilution series of wood dust extracts. Major colophony compounds in the dust extracts were analyzed with gas chromatography. We found a high 1-year period prevalence of generally mild hand eczema: 19%. Contact allergy was diagnosed to several allergens in the working environment, e.g., benzisothiazolin-3-one, nickel, formaldehyde and colophony. A clear relationship between patch test reactions to colophony and to coniferous woods, especially pine, was found. Exposure to wood dust at work caused dermatitis in a colophony-sensitized teacher.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Allergens; Chromatography, Gas; Cohort Studies; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Dust; Eczema; Formaldehyde; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Juniperus; Male; Middle Aged; Nickel; Patch Tests; Plant Extracts; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; Prevalence; Resins, Plant; Sweden; Tars; Teaching; Thiazoles; Trees; Wood

A connection between patch test reactions to paper extracts and contact allergy to rosin (colophony) has been demonstrated.. We wanted to determine whether a difference in the allergenic activity of various types of paper is related to a difference in the pulp.. Patients with dermatitis who were frequently exposed to paper were patch tested with extracts from various papers and the standard series. The extracts were also tested in volunteers with or without contact allergy to rosin and in animals. The rosin compounds in the papers were analyzed by gas chromatography.. The subjects reacting to paper extracts also reacted to rosin. Most reactions were found to the papers produced from mechanical pulps, which contained the highest analyzed amounts of rosin compounds. Animals sensitized to rosin reacted only to paper from mechanical pulp.. Papers based on mechanical pulps that are considered to be environmentally friendly have a greater potential to elicit positive patch test reactions than papers made from other pulps. The increased use of mechanical pulps in different applications may increase the incidence of rosin-related hand eczema.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Irritant; Dermatitis, Occupational; Diterpenes; Eczema; Female; Guinea Pigs; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Immunization; Male; Paper; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Topics: Abietanes; Adult; Dermatitis, Occupational; Diterpenes; Eczema; General Surgery; Humans; Male; Paper; Phenanthrenes; Protective Clothing; Resins, Plant; Tars