OCCUPATIONAL DERMATITIS IN DANISH GARDENERS AND GREENHOUSE WORKERS - (II) - ETIOLOGIC FACTORS

The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of different types of occupational eczema among employees in floristry and detect the al lergens most commonly involved. Based on a postal questionnaire, 253 g ardeners and greenhouse workers with occupational skin symptoms and 52 randomly-selected without symptoms were examined and patch tested. Ro utine tests comprised the standard series, the Compositae mix, feverfe w and 3 fungicides, with additional testing based on case records. 184 persons from the symptom group and 1 from the random group had occupa tional eczema. Irritant occupational contact eczema was suspected in 1 50 persons (59%). Nevertheless, 48% of the 250 persons patch tested ha d at least 1 positive reaction, most frequently to nickel. followed by Compositae which were positive in 25 cases (10%), of whom 24 were pos sibly occupationally sensitized. 13 persons from symptom group had pos itive reactions to fungicides. Occupational allergic eczema was suspec ted in 43 persons (17%), most often caused by plants belonging to the Compositae, Geraniaceae and Liliaceae families. New plant sensitizers were Exacum affine and Begonia lorraine. Exposure to specific plant sp ecies seemed to be the most important eliciting factors in both allerg ic and irritant occupational dermatitis in floristry, and preventive m easures should include reduction of contact with plants. (C) Munksgaar d, 1998.