Contaminating resin acids have not caused the high rate of sensitivity to oak moss

Commercially available oak moss absolute patch test material has recently been shown to contain resin acids of the type found in colophony (colophonium). We wished to assess whether the high frequency of positive patch tests to oak moss absolute at this institute was likely to reflect significant co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contact dermatitis 2002-07, Vol.47 (1), p.19-20
Main Authors: Buckley, D. A., Rycroft, R. J. G., White, I. R., McFadden, J. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acids
Allergens
Allergic diseases
allergy
Biological and medical sciences
colophonium
colophony
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - diagnosis
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - epidemiology
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - etiology
Domestic and cosmetic products toxicology
Drug Contamination
England - epidemiology
fragrance
Humans
Immunopathology
Lichens
Medical sciences
oak moss
patch tests
Patch Tests - standards
Predictive Value of Tests
Quercus
resin acids
Resins, Plant
Retrospective Studies
Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies
Toxicology
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Summary:Commercially available oak moss absolute patch test material has recently been shown to contain resin acids of the type found in colophony (colophonium). We wished to assess whether the high frequency of positive patch tests to oak moss absolute at this institute was likely to reflect significant contamination by resin acids. The rate of positive reactions to colophony among our oak moss‐allergic patients patch tested during 1984–2000 was retrospectively investigated. 25,395 patients were tested to the European standard series during this period and 1,963 (7.7%) were allergic to the fragrance mix. 342 of these patients were allergic to oak moss absolute, of whom 73 (21.3%) were allergic to colophony. In comparison, 115 (13.4%) of 861 fragrance mix‐positive but oak moss‐negative patients were allergic to colophony (p = 0.0002, Fisher's exact test). This strongly statistically significant association between oak moss absolute and colophony shows only a small increase in rates of allergy to colophony in oak moss‐positive patients. Thus we conclude that contaminating resin acids have not alone caused the high rate of sensitivity to oak moss.
ISSN:0105-1873
1600-0536
DOI:10.1034/j.1600-0536.2002.470104.x