SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2004
11/18/04
Occupational allergies in physicians
Summary
Background - There is a significant potential risk for some physicians to develop allergic reactions to some of the agents to which they are exposed in their occupation.
Findings - Sato et al of the Univ of Fukui in Japan surveyed 895 former graduates of their medical school for evidence of allergic reactions due to occupational exposures. Eighty nine of the 307 who responded stated that they had occupation-related allergic reactions. The most common reactions were contact dermatitis to 1) surgical gloves (n=54), 2) disinfectants (chlorhexidine, povidone iodine), n=77. Respiratory allergies due to handling lab animals was reported by 15 respondents. A past history of other allergic diseases and a surgical profession were two strong correlates of occupational allergy. However, age, gender and smoking history did not correlate with these occupational allergies.
Reference
J Occup Health 2004;46:165-70
Editor's Comments
Although this study was carried out in Japanese physicians, I would not be surprised if similar patterns were seen in surveys of American or European physicians. One would have wanted to see confirmation of this reporting on questionnaires with objective evidence of such occupational allergies with patch tests and challenge studies where appropriate. It will be of interest to see whether the incidence of contact dermatitis to surgical gloves decreases significantly in countries where powder-free, low-allergen latex gloves are being used instead of the traditional powdered latex gloves. Iodine-containing povidone solution is a relatively common cause of contact dermatitis following prolonged, recurrent use.
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