Isothiazolinones in commercial products at Danish workplaces.

Background: In recent years, a steep increase in the frequency of occupational contact allergy to isothiazolinones has been reported from several European countries.

Objective: To examine the extent and occurrence of isothiazolinones in different types of product at Danish workplaces.

Methods: Seven different isothiazolinones were identified in the Dictionary of Contact Allergens: Chemical Structures, Sources, and References from Kanerva's Occupational Dermatitis.

Patch testing with methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone 200 ppm aq. detects significantly more contact allergy than 100 ppm. A multicentre study within the European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

Background: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) and methylisothiazolinone (MI) are the active ingredients in commonly used preservative systems (e.g. Kathon CG(®)).

Contact allergy to common ingredients in hair dyes.

Background: p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) is the primary patch test screening agent for hair dye contact allergy, and approximately 100 different hair dye chemicals are allowed.

Objectives: To examine whether PPD is an optimal screening agent for diagnosing hair dye allergy or whether other clinically important sensitizers exist.

Methods: Two thousand nine hundred and thirty-nine consecutive patients in 12 dermatology clinics were patch tested with five hair dyes available from patch test suppliers.

Patch testing with 2.0% (0.60 mg/cm 2) formaldehyde instead of 1.0% (0.30 mg/cm 2) detects significantly more contact allergy.

Background: The currently used patch test concentration for formaldehyde is 1.0% (wt/vol) in water. However, clinical experience and previous studies suggest that 1.

Fragrance allergy: assessing the safety of washed fabrics.

Background: Previously, a quantitative risk assessment suggested there was no risk of induction of fragrance allergy from minor residues of fragrance chemicals on washed fabrics.

Objective: To investigate whether there was any risk of the elicitation of contact allergy from fragrance chemical residues on fabric in individuals who were already sensitized.

Methods: Thirty-six subjects with a positive patch test to isoeugenol (n = 19) or hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (n = 17) were recruited.

Formaldehyde-releasers: relationship to formaldehyde contact allergy. Formaldehyde-releasers in clothes: durable press chemical finishes. Part 1.

This is one of a series of review articles on formaldehyde-releasers and their relationship to formaldehyde contact allergy and in this paper formaldehyde-releasers used as durable press chemical finishes (DPCF) in textiles are discussed. The literature on allergy to DPCF since 1980 is presented in two parts. Part 1 (this article) presents a short historical overview of the problems with formaldehyde in clothes and discusses the chemistry of durable press chemical finishes, legislation in various countries, and studies on the amount of formaldehyde present in clothes.

Formaldehyde-releasers: relationship to formaldehyde contact allergy. Part 2. Formaldehyde-releasers in clothes: durable press chemical finishes.

This is the second part of a review article on formaldehyde-releasers used as durable press chemical finishes (DPCF) in textiles. The early finishes contained large amounts of free formaldehyde, which led to many cases of allergic contact dermatitis to clothes in the 1950s and 1960s. Currently, most finishes are based on modified dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, which releases less formaldehyde.

Contact sensitisation in hand eczema patients-relation to subdiagnosis, severity and quality of life: a multi-centre study.

Background: Contact sensitisation has been identified as a factor associated with poor prognosis for patients with hand eczema.

Objectives: To study implications of contact sensitisation with respect to severity, quality of life (QoL) and subdiagnosis of hand eczema.

Methods: The study was performed as a multi-centre, cross-sectional study from 10 European clinics.

Contact allergy in chronic leg ulcers: results of a multicentre study carried out in 423 patients and proposal for an updated series of patch tests.

Background: There is a lack of prospective studies investigating contact sensitization in patients with chronic leg ulcers.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of contact sensitization in patients with chronic leg ulcers using a special series of patch tests and to determine whether the number of sensitizations was correlated with the duration of the chronic leg ulcers.

Patients/methods: Multicentre study carried out in patients with chronic leg ulcers; patch tests with the European baseline series and with an additional 34 individual allergens or mixes and 3 commercial products.

Marking patch tests sites: description of a practical, clean, durable and inexpensive method.

We propose an original method to mark patch test sites. A transparency is applied on the patient's back, surrounding patch tests, immediately after their application. Marks are performed with an erasable pen on test sites and on permanent skin lesions like naevi.

Allergic contact dermatitis from shellac in mascara.

We report 6 cases of allergic contact dermatitis of the eyelids due to mascara. Allergy occurred in women aged 17-34 years, between September 1999 and June 2001. The main ingredient responsible for allergy was shellac, which gave positive patch test reactions in 5/5 patients.