| 1. |
- Bergendorff, O., et al.
(författare)
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New contact allergens are formed during vulcanization of rubber
- 2016
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Ingår i: Contact Dermatitis. - : Wiley. - 0105-1873. ; 75:S1, s. 44-44
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In rubber materials, both natural rubber and synthetic rubber, several different contact allergenic chemicals are added to the batch before vulcanization. These compounds are relevant for investigation of rubber allergy of workers in rubber factories. The number of workers in the rubber industry has declined, owing to increased automation of the process; however, the number of users of rubber products, such as rubber gloves, is increasing. Furthermore, users of finished rubber products are exposed to allergens other than those affecting workers in rubber factories because of chemical reactions during vulcanization between different additives, altering their structures. Our experience with thiuram mono- and disulfides is that during vulcanization, monosulfides are formed from disulfides. We have also seen that in rubber vulcanized with both thiurams and mercaptobenzothiazole compounds, chemicals are formed that contain both thiocarbamate and a mercaptobenzothiazole structure. Two examples of this are dimethylthiocarbamylbenzothiazole sulfide (DMTBS) and diethylthiocarbamylbenzothiazole sulfide (DETBS). The latter is a commercial accelerator with the name Ethylac. In an earlier study in which we patch tested 24 volunteers with a known allergy to thiuram mix and/or mercapto mix, we observed positive reactions to DMTBS (1% petrolatum) and/or DETBS (1% petrolatum) in 20 subjects. So far we have seen positive reactions to either DMTBS or DETBS in two patients who were investigated because of their dermatitis related to the rubber in their swimming goggles. Chemical analysis of the swimming goggles showed them to contain DMTBS and DETBS, respectively. Furthermore, several patients in the Netherlands and Belgium with allergy to their shoes were found to be allergic to DMTBS. Chemical analysis of these shoes has been performed and DMTBS was identified in the rubber lining. The allergy to DMTBS is an example of how a powerful allergen can be formed during vulcanization as a result of chemical reactions between well-known haptens. It also illustrates that chemical investigations of patients' rubber items can uncover the presence of allergens that were not added during manufacturing and therefore never show up in declarations from the producers.
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| 2. |
- Hamnerius, N., et al.
(författare)
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Hand eczema in healthcare workers : a questionnaire survey of risk factors and work-related exposures
- 2016
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Ingår i: Contact Dermatitis. - : Wiley. - 0105-1873. ; 75:S1
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Recent data on the prevalence and causes of hand eczema among healthcare workers in Sweden are lacking. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have necessitated improved hand hygiene and preventive measures. This has led to an increase in the use of disposable rubber gloves and hand disinfectants, which might influence the risk of hand eczema. Our aims were to identify healthcare workers with hand eczema; to estimate quantitative and qualitative exposure to rubber gloves, hand disinfectants and other exposures; and to survey constitutional factors. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all employees at the hospitals in southern Sweden. The results were statistically analysed using χ2-tests and binary logistic regression. The 1-year prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 20% among the responding 9051 nurses and physicians. On a daily basis, 30% reported hand washing >20 times at work, 45% reported using hand disinfectants >50 times, and 28% used >20 pairs of nonsterile rubber gloves. The prevalence of hand eczema was significantly higher among the employees reporting a higher exposure to hand washing, hand disinfectants and rubber gloves than in those reporting a lower exposure. The prevalence of hand eczema was also significantly higher among respondents with a history of childhood eczema, who were smokers, who had a body mass index >30 kgm-2, who spent >30 min per day working in the kitchen or who had children aged
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| 3. |
- Hamnerius, N, et al.
(författare)
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Wet work exposure and hand eczema among healthcare workers - a cross-sectional study
- 2018
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Ingår i: British Journal of Dermatology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1365-2133 .- 0007-0963. ; 178:2, s. 452-461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Hand eczema is more common in healthcare workers compared to the general population. The hands are subject to changing occupational exposures due to mandatory hygiene regulations for health care workers.OBJECTIVES: To describe the exposure due to hygiene procedures and investigate the associations between occupational hand washing, use of non-sterile gloves, and hand disinfectant and self-reported hand eczema.METHODS: Cross-sectional study with an electronic questionnaire distributed to 28 762 hospital employees in southern Sweden. Respondents working as nurses, assistant nurses or physicians constituted the group of healthcare workers analysed. Adjustments were made for gender, age, wet work at home, life-style factors and atopic dermatitis.RESULTS: 12 288 (43%) responded including 9051 healthcare workers. In this group the 1-year prevalence of self-reported hand eczema was 21%. On a daily basis, 30% reported hand washing with soap >20 times at work, 45% used hand disinfectants >50 times, and 54% used non-sterile gloves > 2 hours. After adjustment for confounding factors, a dose-dependent association with self-reported hand eczema was found for the daily number of hand washes with soap at work and time working with disposable gloves, but not for alcoholic disinfectant use. Hand washing outside work was not associated with self-reported hand eczema in the adjusted multivariate analysis.CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found a higher 1-year prevalence of self-reported hand eczema among Swedish healthcare workers than reported in the general population. Hand washing with soap and use of disposable gloves were associated with the occurrence of self-reported hand eczema in a dose-dependent way. Use of hand disinfectant was not associated with self-reported hand eczema. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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