Allergic dermatoses and respiratory diseases from reactive dyes

5 cases of occupational eczema, urticaria and respiratory disease from reactive dyes, occurring during 1977-1987, are reported. The patients, 4 men and 1 woman, were 24-52 years old when examined. They had been working in dye houses or textile plants, and had been exposed to reactive dyes for 8 months to 4 years before symptoms developed. Only 1 of the patients has been able to continue in the same occupation. On patch testing, the 4 patients with eczema reacted positively to 9 commercial dye powders. 2 patients reacted to the same dye, Remazol Schwarz B. On scratch and/or prick testing, the 2 patients who also had respiratory symptoms and/or urticaria reacted positively to the same dyes as on patch testing. The 5th patient, who had urticaria and respiratory symptoms, reacted positively to a dye, Remazol Gold Gelb RNL, but the patch test with that dye was negative. None of the patients was patch-test-positive to para-phenylenediamine (PPD) or to textile dye allergens in a series of organic dyes. Thus, the series of organic dyes has little value in the screening of allergy to reactive dyes. A 1% pet. dilution of commercial dye powder for patch testing and the same concentration in distilled water for prick testing seem to be suitable for the screening of allergy to reactive dyes.