Allergic contact dermatitis revealed by pandemic: case report

Abstract

AIMS: Contact dermatitis is a non-infectious, preventable skin inflammatory di-sease that affects the quality of life of the individual, occurring after exposure to substances harmful to the skin. It can be allergic or irritating. It is the main cause of occupational skin disease. The Covid-19 pandemic affects people in different ways by messing with occupational and recreational paradigms. We aim to warn that important unapparent allergies can manifest themselves by the alteration of the individual routine transforming hobby into occupational activity due to the global epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a male case that developed eigth months ago, severe hand eczema after a habit change related to social isolation. He denied atopy. Clinically he presented marked dermatitis with hyperemia, cracks, erosions, in a pattern known as clamping. He, who exercised extradomic labor activity, became a recluse changing his previous activity from leisure to occupational activity. A patch test, using the Latin American baseline series, showed a strong reaction in 48 and 96 hours for the bisphenol A epoxy resin. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the Covid-19 pandemic, even indirectly, can reveal hidden allergies due to altered occupational activities performed by individuals.