Contact dermatitis induced by wood

Contact dermatitis (CD) to wood is a medical and occupational problem, whose prevalence is still under evaluation. Few data are reported in the literature about this subject and most of them are related to CD induced by tropical wood. Because of increasing business relations with South-East Asia and America in the last years, the risk of possibly CD has increased also in Italy. In this study the prevalence of CD from wood was evaluated in 90 woodworkers (carpenters, restorers, frame-makers, gardeners) from our geographical area, who filled in a questionnaire concerning their work, history of atopy and type of skin lesions; 3/90 (3.3%) were affected by hand keratotic pulpitis. However, none of them reacted to either standard and professional patch test or when wood dusts 10% pet. were tested. These data are quite different from those reported by other authors as in Italy more national woods (pine, fir, chestnut, beech, cherry, etc) are used than tropical woods that are reported to be the main sensitizers.