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Parthenium dermatitis: is it a systemic contact dermatitis or an airborne contact dermatitis?
Vikram K Mahajan1, Nand Lal Sharma, Ramesh Chander Sharma
1Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla 171001, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Abstract:
We describe here a Parthenium hysterophorus patch-test-positive patient with widespread dermatitis of non-airborne contact dermatitis pattern, improving while staying in Shimla (a parthenium-free area) and rapidly worsening while visiting his native place, where there was exuberant parthenium growth. After recovery, inhalation of fresh plant material from a polythene bag resulted in exacerbation of dermatitis and pruritus within 8-10 hr, without any respiratory symptoms. The possible pathomechanism of such a phenomenon is discussed.
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