We examined 223 nurses from the Lódź region, referred to the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in 1995-99 because of suspected occupational
dermatoses. The diagnosis of contact
allergy was based on the positive results of patch tests, and immediate
allergy to common
allergens and
latex on the results of prick tests, as well as on the determinations of specific
IgE antibodies. Contact
allergy was diagnosed in 66.4% of nurses. The most frequent sensitisers were
quaternary ammonium compounds (
benzalkonium) (23.8%),
nickel (21.5%) and
formaldehyde (20.6%);
allergy was somewhat less frequently caused by
thimerosal (14.3%), fragrances (12.1%),
glutaraldehyde (10.8%),
cobalt (9.9%), thiurams (6.7%) or
glyoxal (4.9%).
Allergy to rubber was diagnosed in 40 patients (17.9%), including 25 cases of immediate
allergy to
latex, 8 cases of
contact dermatitis from
thiuram rubber curing accelerators, and 7 cases of mixed
allergy. It has been concluded that the contact with
disinfectants (40.8% of allergic nurses), metals (30.9%) and rubber (17.9%) was the most frequent source of
allergy in this group of medical personnel.