[Contact sensitization to thimerosal in healthy subjects]

Area of Science:

• Allergology
• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, is a common allergen.
• Prevalence data on thimerosal allergy in healthy populations is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of thimerosal allergy in healthy individuals without dermatitis.
• To compare thimerosal sensitization rates between healthy subjects and patients with suspected allergic dermatitis.

Main Methods:

• Allergological examination of 256 healthy military recruits.
• Comparison with 2150 patients presenting with suspected allergic dermatitis.
• Patch testing for thimerosal and ammoniated mercury sensitization.

Main Results:

• Thimerosal sensitization was observed in 6.25% of healthy recruits.
• 3.53% of patients with suspected dermatitis showed thimerosal sensitization.
• Contact sensitization to ammoniated mercury was lower in thimerosal-negative subjects compared to thimerosal-positive groups.

Conclusions:

• Thimerosal allergy prevalence is relatively low in healthy individuals.
• Sensitization rates differ between healthy populations and those with suspected allergic dermatitis.
• No clear association was found between thimerosal sensitization and specific clinical presentations or exposures in positive patients.