Synonyms
Allergic contact dermatitis; Contact hypersensitivity
Definition and Characteristics
Itchy skin reaction with erythema, edema and vesicles occurring at the site of penetration of chemicals in pre-sensitized individuals. In the chronic phase, increased epidermal thickness with scales and painful fissures are frequent.
Prevalence
Widely common disease in both professional and extraprofessional settings. Prevalence in general population varies dramatically depending on the source considered. It has been reported that 2–15% of individuals residing in industrialized countries are skin sensitized at least to one substance, but the general assumption is that prevalence is greatly underestimated.
Molecular and Systemic Pathophysiology
Contact allergy is the consequence of an unbalanced T cell immune reaction against small chemicals, named haptens, contacting the skin. In the sensitization process, the hapten penetrating the skin promotes the mobilization and functional maturation of...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Scnuch et al. (2002) Epidemiology of contact allergy: an estimation of morbidity employing the clinical epidemiology and drug-utilization research (CE-DUR) approach. Contact Derm 47:32–39
Weltzien et al. (1996) T cell immune responses to haptens. Structural models for allergic and autoimmune reactions. Toxicology 22:141–151
Cavani et al. (2001) Effector and regulatory mechanisms in allergic contact dermatitis. Trends Immunol 22:118–120
Cavani et al. (2003) Human CD25+ regulatory T cells maintain immune tolerance to nickel in healthy, non allergic individuals. J Immunol 171:5760–5768
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Cavani, A., Girolomoni, G. (2009). Contact Allergy. In: Lang, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29676-8_405
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29676-8_405
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67136-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29676-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences