title: Dermatoses among housekeeping personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Housekeepers are exposed to irritants and allergens in their work and are at significant risk for developing occupationally induced contact dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied housekeepers at the Hershey Medical Center to determine the cause and frequency of contact dermatitis and contact urticaria in these workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  All housekeepers were examined. Those with hand dermatitis had an extensive history, patch testing, and latex RAST testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight of 130 had hand dermatitis. None had a relevant positive patch test or positive RAST test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of our housekeepers, 6.2% had occupationally induced irritant contact dermatitis. None had allergic contact dermatitis or contact urticaria to latex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey 17033, USA.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Desciak
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Marks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D014581:Urticaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology