Contact dermatitis, irritant
Disease/Syndrome
Contact dermatitis, irritant
Synonyms
Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD);
Comments
Skin disorders comprise about 35% of occupational diseases, and the majority of these (more than 95%) are types of contact dermatitis. Statistic in the United States show that about 80% of contact dermatitis is irritant and about 20% is allergic. Statistics in European countries suggest a 50/50 split between the irritant and allergic forms. Atopic dermatitis is a predisposing factor for irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) but not for allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Skin irritants increase workers' risks for ACD. Common causes of ICD are water, detergents, soaps, acids, alkalis, solvents, metalworking fluids, and abrasives. "Wet work" is defined by German regulations as skin exposure to liquids or wearing occlusive gloves for >2 hours/day or hand washing >20 times/day. At risk for ICD are housekeepers, construction workers, butchers, machinists, hairdressers, food processors, and medical/dental workers. Prevention of ICD includes reducing exposure by job modification, wearing appropriate protective clothing, and using bland emollients such as white petrolatum. [Rosenstock, p. 699-704; Kanerva, p. 87-98; LaDou, p. 224-9] See "Contact dermatitis, allergic."
Latency/Incubation
May be immediate for strong irritant; Dermatitis from weaker irritants may take days or weeks;
Symptoms/Findings
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
Agents
Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease: