title: Contact allergy in male construction workers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2000-2005.
abstract: There are no recent data on allergens in the construction industry in Brazil; apparently there were no changes in allergenic substances. The objective of this study was to identify sensitization to allergens in adult males working in the construction industry. A cross-sectional study with adult males submitted to patch tests from May 2000 to December 2005. Out of 169 male patients, 83 were construction workers. The five most frequent allergens among the construction workers were potassium dichromate (57%), carba-mix (34.9%), cobalt chloride (30.2%), thiuram-mix (27.9%) and neomycin (19.8%). There is a significant sensitization to potassium dichromate, cobalt, carba-mix, and thiuram-mix, demonstrating that cement and rubber gloves of personal protection equipment still account for allergic contact dermatitis in construction industry workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP-EPM), Brazil. marziamacedo@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Marzia Silva
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Alicede Oliveira
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: de Avelar Alchorne
authors.forename: Enilde Borges
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Fábio Tadeu
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Montesano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000633:toxicity*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010328:Patch Tests; D012307:Risk Factors