title: Gold dermatitis due to ear piercing: correlations between gold and mercury hypersensitivities.
abstract: A case of allergic contact dermatitis due to gold pierced earrings is reported. The patient developed recurring redness and swelling on her earlobes a month after the wearing of pierced-type gold earrings, which was followed by the appearance of reddish nodules around the puncture marks. Patch tests revealed positive reactions to 0.1% mercuric chloride, 1% gold sodium thiomalate and 0.2% chloroauric acid. We also demonstrated that guinea pigs contact-sensitized with a mercuric compound developed positive patch test reactions to both mercuric and gold compounds. These results suggest that there may be correlations between gold and mercury hypersensitivities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Urafune Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ikezawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hariya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000009:adverse effects; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017612:Gold Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate / Q000009:adverse effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010328:Patch Tests
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D017612:Gold Compounds; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D006046:Gold; C024568:gold tetrachloride, acid; D008628:Mercury