title: Chloracne in the 1990s.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chloracne is a disease associated with toxicity of halogenated compounds used in some industrial processes. A patient affected by chloracne led us to study a total of nine cases from a single factory.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the clinical features of nine patients exposed chronically to chlorobenzenes. On all of them blood samples were drawn and biopsies of affected skin and liver were taken. Their work environment was visited and studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All nine patients were men and had polymorphic skin lesions, characterized mainly by comedones and cysts. They had chronic conjunctivitis and seven had cysts in the Meibomian glands. All of them had polyneuropathy and liver damage and seven had hypertriglyceridemia. Compounds known to cause chloracne were found in exceedingly high concentrations in the water used in the workplace.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Every patient exposed to halogenated compounds with the cutaneous manifestations of chloracne should be carefully investigated for systemic complications (such as ophthalmic, neuropathic, hepatic, and lipoprotein abnormalities).
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Speciality Hospital, Centro Medico Nacional, Leon, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosas Vazquez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Campos Macias
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ochoa Tirado
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcia Solana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Palomino Moncada
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002617:Chemical Industry; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged