title: Collembola are unlikely to cause human dermatitis.
abstract: Abstract There have been several unconfirmed case reports of dermatitis caused by Collembola (springtails). We recently investigated two nurses with dermatitis suspected to be caused by Drepanura Schött (Collembola: Entomobryidae). IgE antibodies to Collembola proteins were not detected in sera from the nurses and skin tests with the Collembola extract and crushed whole Collembola were negative in both the nurses and volunteers. This study suggests that the springtail Drepanura may not cause human dermatitis and that other organisms and organic matter that are also found in the moist environment inhabited by Collembola might instead be responsible.
authors.affiliation: St George Hospital, Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. fluppy888@yahoo.com
authors.forename: C S H
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deharveng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E