Occupational contact dermatitis among healthcare workers in the COVID-19 Isolation ward

Abstract

Occupational skin disease due to intensified infection prevention procedures among healthcare workers has been reported since the outbreak of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). This study was to determine the cause of Occupational Contact Dermatitis (OCD) among healthcare workers in the COVID-19 isolation ward using a skin patch test to prevent the recurrence of the disease. The allergens for the patch test included thiuram-mix 1%, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole 2%, and tetramethyl thiuram disulfide 1% which were contained in gloves, cobalt chloride 1%, and colophony 20% which were contained in adhesives, as well as irigasan 2% and lanolin 100% which were contained in hand hygiene products. Thirty healthcare workers who were diagnosed with OCD were included and underwent patch tests. The participants were dominated by females (90%) and nurses (66.67%). Six participants got weak positive (+) results from thiuram-mix 1%. Meanwhile 1 weak positive (+), 6 strong positive (++) and 1 extreme positive (+++) were found in lanolin 100% patch test. There was clinical relevance to these results. The infection prevention measures among healthcare workers in the COVID-19 isolation ward increased the risk of OCD, including the use of PPE and hand hygiene products.