Contact Dermatitis Due to Plants in Chandigarh

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Allergology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Plant-induced allergic contact dermatitis is a significant health concern.
• Parthenium hysterophorus is a known potent allergen causing widespread dermatitis.
• Understanding plant sensitivities is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and clinical patterns of plant-induced allergic contact dermatitis.
• To identify common plant allergens, with a focus on Parthenium hysterophorus.
• To analyze demographic and clinical features of patients with parthenium dermatitis.

Main Methods:

• Patch testing with a battery of plants, potassium dichromate, and formaldehyde.
• Clinical evaluation of dermatitis presentation, including location, pattern, and chronicity.
• Demographic analysis of affected patients, distinguishing between city dwellers and farmers.

Main Results:

• High sensitivity rates were observed for Parthenium hysterophorus (60.87%), Nerium indicum (23.64%), Calotropis procera (15.46%), Eucalyptus sp (12.08%), and Mangifera indica (12.08%).
• Parthenium dermatitis affected 126 patients, predominantly those aged 30-59 (74.60%), with facial and limb involvement being common.
• Higher incidence of parthenium dermatitis was noted in city dwellers compared to farmers. Frequent positivity to potassium dichromate (24.15%) and formaldehyde (28.02%) was also observed.

Conclusions:

• Parthenium hysterophorus is a major cause of allergic contact dermatitis, especially in urban populations.
• Clinical presentation of parthenium dermatitis varies, including photosensitive patterns and chronic lichenification.
• Routine patch testing with plant allergens is essential for diagnosing and managing allergic contact dermatitis.