Occupational contact dermatitis in nurses with hand eczema

Occupationally related dermatitis is a common problem in nurses, who are ex posed to a wide variety of allergenic and irritant substances. In a group o f 44 nurses with hand dermatitis (40 female, 4 male), 18 were thought to ha ve 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 Is patients with all ergic contact dermatitis, the allergens were thought to be occupationally r elevant in 8 cases. In 6 of these 8 the dermatitis was due to natural rubbe r latex (3) or other rubber chemicals (3). 2 had additional evidence of imm ediate-type hypersensitivity to natural rubber latex tone was patch test al lergic to latex, the other to thiuram mix). Natural rubber latex allergy, b oth delayed and immediate, is a significant problem, and nurses at risk sho uld be tested for both types of hypersensitivity, as well as being patch te sted to standard, rubber and medicaments series.