TEXTILE DYES AS CONTACT ALLERGENS - PART I

This literature review traces the occurrence of allergic contact derma titis (ACD) to textile dyes from 1980 to the present. Background Infor mation is provided about ACD and patch testing. A study of 37 case rep orts by dermatologists revealed nine new textile dye contact allergens , one dye fixative contact allergen, and one azoic coupling component contact allergen. Examination of eight studies undertaken to discover new dye allergens or establish prevalence of textile dye ACD revealed 22 new dye allergens and prevalence rates ranging from 15.9% of adult patients suspected to have a textile related contact allergy who were tested with many dyes to 0.05% of young patients with eczema who were tested with a limited number of dyes. Four epidemics occurred involvin g the wearing of black suits dyed with Direct Black 38, brown stocking s dyed with a mixture containing nitro- and aminodiazobenzene and amin oanthraquinone dyes, black tights and other garments dyed with Dispers e Blue 106 and Disperse Blue 124, and yellow sweaters dyed with Pigmen t Yellow 16 and after bleached forming phosgene (2, 5 dichlorophenyl) hydrazone.