Occupational contact dermatitis in nurses with hand eczema

Occupationally related dermatitis is a common problem in nurses, who are exposed to a wide variety of allergenic and irritant substances. In a group of 44 nurses with hand dermatitis (40 female, 4 male), 18 were thought to have a predominantly allergic contact dermatitis, 15 an irritant dermatitis, 7 other form of eczema, 3 atopic dermatitis and one pompholyx. 10 of the 15 irritant cases were diagnosed as occupational. Of the 18 patients with allergic contact dermatitis, the allergens were thought to be occupationally relevant in 8 cases. In 6 of these 8 the dermatitis was due to natural rubber latex (3) or other rubber chemicals (3). 2 had additional evidence of immediate-type hypersensitivity to natural rubber latex (one was patch test allergic to latex, the other to thiuram mix). Natural rubber latex allergy, both delayed and immediate, is a significant problem, and nurses at risk should be tested for both types of hypersensitivity, as well as being patch tested to standard, rubber and medicaments series.