Allergic laboratory technicians

Thus piperazine citrate used for the treatment of pinworms (threadworms) can produce an allergic drug eruption in ethylenediamine-sensitive individuals (Burry 1978). Cross-reactions can occur in chemists and laboratory technicians who handle both of these chemicals (Calnan 1975). 

Chemical laboratory technicians and associate laboratory workers are exposed to a great number of chemicals that cause irritant or allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria or skin burns. Laboratories that deal with biological specimens or laboratory animals, e.g., in hospitals, university clinical departments and pharmaceutical companies, share the hazards of chemistry laboratories however, human and animal tissue specimens, and laboratory animals contribute additional risks of contact urticaria and skin infections. Laboratory assistants are at greater risk of sensitization than workers in general. Also, the risk of skin infections is increased (Karjalainen et al. 1997)-... 

Cases of allergic contact dermatitis or contact urticaria in laboratory technicians or associate workers are frequently reported from histology or electron microscopy laboratories (Van Ketel 1979 Lindskov 1982 Tobler et al. 1990 Palmer and Rycroft 1993 Steinkraus and Hausen 1994 Wakelin et al. 1998) (see Chap. 164), or from film processing (White 1983 Liden 1984) (see details in Photographers). 

Wakelin SH, McFadden JP, Leonard JN, Rycroft RJG (1998) Allergic contact dermatitis from d-limonene in a laboratory technician. Contact Dermatitis 38 164-165 Wang M-T, Wenger K, Maibach HI (1997) Piperazine diacrylamide allergic contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis 37 300 Warshaw TG (1988) Primary irritant effect of 3,4,5-trichloro-pyridazine. Contact Dermatitis 18 257-258 Weller R, Ormerod A (1996) Water tester s dermatitis due to a para-phenylenediamine derivative. Contact Dermatitis 34 138 White IR (1983) Allergic contact dermatitis from a colour film process chemical (PBAi). Contact Dermatitis 9 323-324 Wigger-Alberti W, Eisner P (1997) Occupational contact dermatitis due to pyritinol. Contact Dermatitis 37 91-92... 

Several cases of occupation-induced allergic contact dermatitis to these agents in chemists and laboratory technicians have been reported (Rycroft 1983 Goh 1984 Alomar 1987 Romaguera et al. 1988, 1990). Cross-sensitivity between ranitidine and its intermediary products does not always occur. 

Lewis FM, Cork MJ, McDonagh AJG, Gawkrodger DJG (1993) Allergic contact dermatitis from resin-reinforced plaster. Contact Dermatitis 28 40-41 Rustemeyer T, Frosch PJ (1996) Occupational skin diseases in dental laboratory technicians. (I) Clinical picture and causative factors. Contact Dermatitis 34 125-133... 

PHENOXYBENZAMiNE HYDROCHLORIDE A woman laboratory technician developed acute allergic eczematous contact dermatitis of the hands and face, after contact with phenoxybenzamine hydrochloride (46 =). Patch tests with phenoxybenzamine 1% in aqua, carried out after the clinical dermatitis had subsided, were positive. This was followed by recurrence of the dermatitis at the original sites. Sensitization to this chemical was produced in guinea pigs. Crosssensitivity to related compounds may be due to the chloroethylamine moiety of the molecule. No cross-sensitivity was observed to the dichlorodiethylamine compound, although nitrogen mustard is known to be capable of contact sensitization. 

Estlander et al. (1996a) evaluated the 22 cases of occupational dermatoses investigated at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health as having occurred in chemical laboratory workers from 1975 to 1995. Eighteen of the 22 patients had allergic contact dermatitis and four had contact urticaria all but seven were technicians in industrial laboratories. 

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