Allergic Contact Dermatitis Is a Common Problem in Nursing Personnel

Allergic contact dermatitis affects approximately 20% of the population but especially nursing and healthcare staff. These investigators reviewed occupational contact allergy in nurses, physician assistants, ambulance crews, and midwives using data from 56 European dermatology departments. They compared patch tests from 2248 nursing personnel with and without suspected occupational contact dermatitis (OD).

Hand dermatitis was the most common OD; it was more common in the OD group than the non-OD group (79% vs. 19%, respectively). OD subjects were younger, with a higher incidence of atopic dermatitis, while the non-OD group was more likely to have generalized eczema. The most important contact allergens were protective gloves and disinfectant…