Generalized eczematous contact dermatitis from cocobolo wood

Occupational contact with cocobolo wood (Papilionaceae, Dalbergia retusa) has been reported to rarely cause delayed hypersensitivity reactions. We report the case of a 53-year-old furniture and cabinetmaker who exhibited a generalized reaction mimicking erythroderma after exposure to sawdust from the wood. Patch testing to plants and woods standard (Chemotechnique, Dormer Laboratories, Ontario, Canada) was negative, and the specific allergen in cocobolo, obtusaquinone, was not available to us. The patient was tested instead to shavings of various woods as well as to sawdust of the suspected wood in petrolatum. He exhibited an exuberant response (+++) to both shavings and sawdust of cocobolo. After successful patch testing with shavings and sawdust in the absence of the purified chemical allergen, avoidance of the timber resulted in the resolution of his symptoms.