title: Skin symptoms and contact allergy in woodwork teachers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Dermatology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meding
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahman
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Karlberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000209:etiology*; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004485:Eczema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018653:Juniperus; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects; D010328:Patch Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D013548:Sweden; D013638:Tars / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D013663:Teaching; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects; D014197:Trees; D014934:Wood
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D012116:Resins, Plant; D013638:Tars; D013844:Thiazoles; D005557:Formaldehyde; D009532:Nickel; C013893:rosin; C015699:1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one