Occupational protein contact dermatitis and paronychia from natural rubber latex

Protein contact dermatitis (PCD) is a chronic recurrent dermatitis caused by contact with a proteinaceous material. PCD may also present as paronychia. Here a case of PCD and paronychia from natural rubber latex (NRL) is presented. The correct diagnosis would not have been established if prick testing with NRL had not been performed. This case shows that contact allergy presenting as dermatitis may occur despite negative patch test results. PCD from NRL may be relatively common, although very few cases have been published. This is probably due to the fact that the term contact urticaria is so closely connected to NRL that automatically all cases of type I allergy to NRL are considered contact urticaria, although the clinical picture is a dermatitis, i.e. PCD.