Occupational dermatoses in health care workers evaluated for suspected allergic contact dermatitis.

Background: Occupational skin diseases, including allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), irritant contact dermatitis, and allergic contact urticaria (ACU), occur commonly among health care workers (HCWs).

Purpose: To evaluate the aetiology of the various skin diseases afflicting HCWs evaluated for suspicion of ACD and/or ACU and to identify the most common allergens among HCWs found to have ACD and/or ACU.

Methods: A total of 1434 patients underwent patch testing.

Blue-jean button nickel: prevalence and prevention of its release from buttons.

Background: Nickel is a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis and is associated with metal buttons and snaps on blue jeans.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of nickel-positive metal buttons on blue jeans and the efficacy of nail polish in the prevention of nickel release.

Methods: We collected 62 pairs of new and preworn blue jeans.

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa.

A 41-year-old white man with Down syndrome presented with a slightly pruritic, papular eruption on bilateral forearms of several years' duration. Physical examination revealed multiple 2- to 3-mm keratotic, umbilicated pink papules in an annular configuration distributed symmetrically on the flexural surfaces of the forearms (Figure 1). The skin surrounding these papules was noted to be hyperpigmented and somewhat atrophic.

Efalizumab-induced autoimmune pancytopenia.

Efalizumab is a recombinant, humanized monoclonal anti-CD11a antibody used for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and anaemia have previously been reported with this therapy. We describe the first case of immune-mediated pancytopenia in a patient treated with efalizumab.

Comparative study of Finn Chambers and T.R.U.E. test methodologies in detecting the relevant allergens inducing contact dermatitis.

T.R.U.