Occupational allergic contact dermatitis in Lodz: 1990-1994

Occupational skin diseases in Poland constitute about 9% of all occupational diseases. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis (OACD) account for 95% of diagnosed occupational skin diseases. During 1990-1994 we have diagnosed 332 OACD cases (159 men, 173 women). OACD was most frequent in health care workers (25.6%), the metal-working and machine-building industry (19.6%), and the house-building industry (13.9%). Occupational allergy was most frequently due to exposure to chromates (38.8%), cobalt (38.8%), nickel (30.7%), and also formaldehyde (18.1%) and epoxy resins (9.1%). When comparing our present results with those obtained in 1972-1987, we note an increased overall number of OACD cases (the number of diagnosed OACD cases at that time was 34 per annum, compared with 66 cases per annum at present) and increased OACD cases in women. There was an increase of OACD among health care workers. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of patients with allergies to nickel and formaldehyde, and a decrease of the patients hypersensitive to turpentine.