Chrysanthemum gardeners

Some people, especially florists and gardeners affected by the Compositae plants suffer from contact dermatitis, known as "Chrysanthemum allergy" or "Compositae dermatitis" in general. Main source of this allergy is the attachment of the airborne plant particles to the skin [167]. On the other hand, Guin and Skidmore has reported that contact dermatitis to Compositae plants can be confused with photosensitivity or atopic eczema [168]. However, these plants are still found to be an important factor in the patients with summer exacerbation of dermatitis, even without photosensitivity [169]. 

Compositae dermatitis was covered in more detail in the first section. Farmers are perhaps more likely to become allergic to weeds, while florists often break out to chrysanthemum [357, 358] and other flowering species. Many such patients experience multiple sensitivities, either as a concomitant or cross-reaction [157], and sensitivity can be severe [6]. Gardeners (or perhaps more accurately, groundskeepers [315]) represented the occupational cases of dandelion dermatitis in one series. 

A hobby gardener developed delayed urticaria from elm, Ulmus spp., with inhibition by aluminum sulphate [399]- Other plants causing contact urticaria in this group include Lily longifolium and tulip [400], Limonium tartaricum (from dried flowers) [401], and chrysanthemum [402]. For a more complete listing of contact urticaria to plants see Lahti [403] and Table 6. 

Fig. 1. Dermatitis affecting the neck in a gardener with chrysanthemum allergy. Unlike photosensitive eczema, sun-protected TynP-l antioons sites (e.g. behind the ears) are involved ...

---