MINIMAL ALSTROEMERIA EXPOSURE DURING SKIN TESTING CAUSING AN ALLERGICCONTACT-DERMATITIS REACTION

A florist developed extensive hand dermatitis from Peruvian lily (Alst roemeria) after four months of occupational exposure. Allergic patch t est reactions developed after contact with the leaf, stem and flower d f the plant. The patient also had respiratory symptoms and prick testi ng through two drops squeezed from the stem of Alstroemeria was perfor med. The drops were dripped onto the skin and were immediately wiped o ff. This brief skin contact of a few seconds was nevertheless enough t o induce an allergic edematous contact dermatitis reaction, clearly vi sible at 24 hours. This is an example of how minimal exposure may resu lt in a delayed type allergic contact dermatitis reaction. In our expe rience, some cases of ''air-borne'' contact dermatitis are in fact cau sed by handborne allergen contamination of the eye-lids and facial ski n.