title: Pizza makers' contact dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contact eczema to foods, spices, and food additives can occur in occupational and nonoccupational settings in those who grow, handle, prepare, or cook food. Pizza is one of the most eaten foods in every continent, and pizza making is a common work in many countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the occurrence and the causes of contact dermatitis in pizza makers in Naples.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an observational study in 45 pizza makers: all the enrolled subjects had to answer a questionnaire designed to detect personal history of respiratory or cutaneous allergy, atopy; work characteristics and timing were also investigated. Every subject attended the dermatology clinic for a complete skin examination, and when needed, patients were patch tested using the Italian baseline series of haptens integrated with an arbitrary pizza makers series.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results reported that 13.3% of the enrolled pizza makers (6/45) presented hand eczema, and that 8.9% (4/45) were affected by occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Diallyl disulfide and ammonium persulfate were the responsible substances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performing patch tests in pizza makers and food handlers affected by hand contact dermatitis is useful. We propose a specific series of haptens for this wide working category.
authors.affiliation: From the Dermatology Section, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: Cataldo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patruno
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balato
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balato
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ayala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000498:Allyl Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity; D003296:Cooking; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004220:Disulfides / Q000633:toxicity; D004485:Eczema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D005502:Food / Q000633:toxicity; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D012147:Restaurants; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000498:Allyl Compounds; D004220:Disulfides; C031276:ammonium peroxydisulfate; C028009:diallyl disulfide; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate