title: Contact dermatitis of the ear due to a rubber earplug.
abstract: We report a case of contact dermatitis of the ear canal due to rubber earplugs. A 31-year-old Japanese woman had a 2-year history of eczema confined to her ears. Applications of various topical steroids had shown no beneficial effect upon her lesions. Considering contact dermatitis as a possible diagnosis we performed patch tests. Positive eczematous patch test results were obtained with mercaptobenzothiazole, tetramethylthiuram disulfide and her rubber earplugs, which she had used whenever she took a bath. The eruption cleared after the patient stopped using the rubber earplugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tagami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000473:pathology*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004430:Ear Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests; D012408:Rubber / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects; D013893:Thiram / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; D013844:Thiazoles; D013893:Thiram; C028000:dibenzothiazyl disulfide; D012408:Rubber