'Airborne' contact dermatitis due to Leica immersion oil.
BACKGROUND
Contact dermatitis has often been described in healthcare staff, resulting essentially from the use of natural rubber latex gloves, antiseptics, and especially aldehydes. This study reports an unusual cause of contact dermatitis in laboratory technicians.


METHODS
Four patients working in the bacteriology departments of three different hospitals were seen for airborne contact dermatitis. All were patch tested for specific plastics and glues.


RESULTS
For all patients, positive patch reactions were obtained with classic epoxy resins, such as diglycidylether of bisphenol, as well as with new types, such as diglycidylether of bisphenol F and an epoxyacrylate resin.


CONCLUSIONS
Although phenols and ether handled by the laboratory technicians and an epoxy mastic applied during floor repair were initially suspected, an immersion oil used in light microscopy proved to be the real cause of the dermatitis. To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases due to this type of contact.
Géraut
C
C
Institute of Occupational Health, CHU, Hotel-Dieu, Nantes, France.
Tripodi
D
D
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000209:etiology*; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009821:Oils / Q000009:adverse effects; D010328:Patch Tests
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D009821:Oils