Protein Contact Dermatitis

Abstract

Protein contact dermatitis is considered to be a distinct clinical entity, which manifests itself as chronic eczema with acute exacerbations within minutes of contact with the causal protein; it particularly occurs in subjects with an atopic background or in other skin conditions, in which the barrier integrity of the horny layer is impaired. The causal proteins are most often occupation-related. The diagnosis is based on the positivity of a prick test carried out with the culprit materials; sometimes specific IgE-antibodies can be detected in the patient’s serum.