ALLERGIC CONTACT-DERMATITIS TO GOLD - PER TINENCE OF GOLD SALTS PATCHTESTS

Allergic contact dermatitis to gold and its alloys is a rare affection and it is difficult to interpret gold salts patch tests. We report tw o cases of patient with positive patch tests to 0.5 % sodium aurothios ulfate discovered during a dermatology exploration of an occupational contact eczema (for the first patient) and an intolerance to gold jewe llery (for the second). There is much confusion in the literature conc erning the allergologic exploration of contact dermatitis to gold: no standardized test, possible cross reactions between different gold sal ts, the tests often irritate. The mechanism of sensitization to gold s alts is unknown since pure gold is inalterable and does not contain an y salts. The pertinence of a positive test to one or more gold salts m ust therefore be examined carefully and the diagnosis of gold allergy must not be made without sufficient evidence.