Isothiocyanates are important as haptens in contact allergy to chloroprene rubber.

Background: Contact allergy to chloroprene rubber products is well known. Thiourea compounds are considered the cause of allergy. Diethylthiourea commonly occurs in this type of product and can decompose to the sensitizer ethyl isothiocyanate.

An oral challenge test with carmine red (E120) in skin prick test positive patients.

Background: Positive skin prick test reactions to carmine red (E120) occur in approximately 3% of the patients studied for food allergy. Carmine ingestion associated systemic symptoms are occasionally suspected, but sufficient information of proven carmine allergy is not available.

Patients And Methods: To analyse carmine related symptoms in skin prick test positive patients a cohort of 23 patients with suspected allergy to carmine red was subjected to a single-blind placebo-controlled oral challenge test with carmine red.

Patch testing and sensitization to multiple drugs.

Background: Adverse drug reactions pose an increasing diagnostic challenge in hospitals and in outpatient clinics. When consecutive or repeated allergic drug eruptions are suspected, patch testing is a useful diagnostic tool for determining the causative drugs.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify patient cases with multiple delayed-type drug sensitizations by using patch testing.

[Update on current care guidelines: Allergen specific immunotherapy].

Immunotherapy involves the specific treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases, indicated for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, insect sting (bee and wasp) allergy, and food allergy (especially cow's milk, egg and wheat). Subcutaneous injection immunotherapy with pollens (both trees and grass), animal danders, insect venoms and house dust mite preparations for allergic rhinitis and asthma is effective for both adults and children. Sublingual immunotherapy indicated for allergic rhinitis caused by grass pollens (especially timothy), is effective and appears to be a safe route of administration.

Non-occupational contact sensitization to epoxy resin of bisphenol A among general dermatology patients.

Background: Sensitization to epoxy resins often results from occupational exposure in various fields of construction and industry. Non-occupational sensitization sources and environments have remained overlooked.

Objectives: To analyse non-occupational and occupational contact sensitization to epoxy resin of bisphenol A among general dermatology patients.

Gum arabic as a cause of occupational allergy.

Background. Gum arabic is a potential sensitizer in food industry. Methods.

[Drug-induced skin reactions].

Antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories are the most common drugs causing skin reactions, but reactions are also brought about by ACE inhibitors, antiepileptics, many anticancer and certain other drugs. Exanthema and urticaria are the most common types of drug reactions. Urticaria may or may not be accompanied by angioedema or anaphylaxia.

The relevance of chlorhexidine contact allergy.

Background: Chlorhexidine is used for disinfection of skin and mucosae in medicine and dentistry. Prolonged exposure may lead to contact sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis or stomatitis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyse the sources of chlorhexidine exposure and sensitization, and to obtain data on the prevalence of sensitization and chlorhexidine-related contact allergy.

Nickel sensitization in orthodontically treated and non-treated female adolescents.

Background: The importance of the nickel exposure from fixed orthodontic appliances is under continuous discussion.

Objectives: Our aim was to investigate nickel allergy and the risk of nickel sensitization among female adolescents during orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances as compared with non-treated female adolescents.

Subjects And Methods: Female patients starting or with ongoing orthodontic treatment (n = 30) and young females without a history of orthodontic treatment (n = 140) were studied.

Contact sensitization to methylisothiazolinone in Finland--a multicentre study.

Background: Antimicrobials constitute the second most common cause of contact allergy to cosmetics. Methylisothiazolinone (MI), previously always used together with methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), has recently been approved in the EU for use on its own in cosmetics and also various industrial products. MCI has been classified as an extreme-strong and MI as a strong-moderate sensitizer.

[Sweet lupin--a new food allergen].

Lupin, a legume with good nutritional value, is used in food production today, most often in bakery products. In Finland, lupin is a labelled ingredient in very few products. Clinically relevant lupin allergy, even anaphylaxis, often occurs in patients without atopic background or other food allergies, whereas lupin sensitization without clinical relevancy most commonly seems to represent cross reactivity to other legumes.

Sensitization to thiourea derivatives among Finnish patients with suspected contact dermatitis.

Background: Thiourea derivatives in rubber products may induce contact sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis. Sensitization is most often from neoprene rubber, but the multitude of possible sensitizing products has remained poorly characterized.

Objective: The aim of this study was to collect information on the occurrence of thiourea-related contact allergy and to show novel sources of sensitization.

Sensitization to dimethyl fumarate with multiple concurrent patch test reactions.

Background: Chairs and sofas imported from China to Europe were shown to contain dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a sensitizing, volatile chemical. Many of the sensitized patients also had positive patch test reactions to acrylates.

Objectives: To analyse the occurrence and strength of DMF sensitization and the appearance of concomitant reactions.

An epidemic of furniture-related dermatitis: searching for a cause.

Background Sitting in new chairs or sofas has elicited dermatitis in numerous patients in Finland and in the U.K. since autumn 2006.

An outbreak of furniture related dermatitis ('sofa dermatitis') in Finland and the UK: history and clinical cases.

In February 2007, an epidemic of severe dermatitis from Chinese recliner chairs and sofas started to unfold first in Finland and a few months later in the UK. Some patients reacted in patch tests (PTs) strongly to the material of their furniture, either leather or fabric. There have been hundreds of reports of chair or sofa dermatitis from Finland and the UK, with all cases linked to the same furniture factory in China.

Lupin allergy and lupin sensitization among patients with suspected food allergy.

Background: Lupin, a legume with good nutritional value, is used in food production today, most often in bakery products. Lupin sensitization is often seen among patients with reactions to legumes, but the number of reports describing lupin anaphylaxis is also increasing.

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of lupin sensitization, cross-reactivity, and lupin allergy among patients with suspected food allergy in Finland, where lupin is a labeled ingredient in few products.

Allergy to carmine red (E120) is not dependent on concurrent mite allergy.

Background: Positive skin prick test (SPT) reactions to carmine red (E120) have been reported to occur concurrently with reactions to mites. The relationships between positive SPT reactions to carmine, carmine allergy and concurrent mite reactions are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of carmine sensitization and its clinical importance among patients with suspected allergy to food additives.

Sources of sensitization, cross-reactions, and occupational sensitization to topical anaesthetics among general dermatology patients.

Background: Contact sensitization to local anaesthetics is often from topical medicaments. Occupational sensitization to topical anaesthetics may occur in certain occupations.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyse the occurrence of contact sensitization to topical anaesthetics in general dermatology patients.

Positive patch test reactions to gentamicin show sensitization to aminoglycosides from topical therapies, bone cements, and from systemic medication.

Background: A history of prolonged use of topical antimicrobials is common among patients with positive patch test reactions to gentamicin and to aminoglycosides.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to show sources of gentamicin sensitization in patients with positive patch test reactions to gentamicin.

Patients And Methods: About 7814 patients were patch tested with a baseline patch test series and 620 of them were further tested with gentamicin.

Contact sensitization to 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane and to isocyanates among general dermatology patients.

Background: Diisocyanates and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (MDA) are industrial sensitizers. Occupational asthma is a risk among workers exposed to diisocyanates. Exposure may also lead to contact sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis.