Gut eczema in slaughterhouse workers

In Danish bacon factories workers eviscerating and cleansing gut casings commonly develop a vesicular eczema starting in the finger webs, from where it spreads to the sides of the fingers. The eruption is called "gut eczema" or "fat eczema" by the workers. It is self-limiting, lasts for 1--2 weeks, and can recur at intervals of months or years. The etiology is unknown. Prick tests with extracts of ascaris and several organs of the pigs were negative.