Allergic "contact" dermatitis from disulfiram implants.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Toxicology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Disulfiram is widely used for alcohol dependence treatment.
• Disulfiram implants are an alternative administration route.
• Local complications of disulfiram implants are uncommon.

Observation:

• Two cases of allergic contact dermatitis were observed.
• The dermatitis was attributed to implanted disulfiram (tetraethythiuramdisulfide or TETD) pellets.
• This specific adverse reaction has not been previously documented.

Findings:

• Implanted disulfiram pellets can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
• The mechanism involves a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to TETD.
• Histopathological findings consistent with allergic contact dermatitis were noted.

Implications:

• Clinicians should be aware of this potential side effect.
• Patch testing may be useful for diagnosis.
• Alternative treatment strategies may be needed for patients developing dermatitis.