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Encyclopedia of Medical Immunology pp 42–46Cite as

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

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Synonyms

Allergic contact eczema

Definition

Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin inflammation mediated by hapten-specific T-cells that elicit a delayed-type hypersensitivity and can present as acute, subacute, or chronic contact dermatitis.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors

The prevalence of contact allergy is rising worldwide. About 15–20 % of the general population in Europe is sensitized to at least one contact allergen. Most common allergens are nickel and fragrances (Peiser et al. 2012). Workplace exposure, sex, age, and genetic predispositions (atopy) were identified as most important risk factors. Women are twice as frequently affected as men, probably due to hormonal influences. In occupational contact dermatitis, the highest incidence is found among metal workers and hairdressers (Dickel et al. 2001; Peiser et al. 2012).

Pathophysiology

Allergic contact dermatitis is mediated by a cascade of three immune processes, a sensitization, an elicitation, and a resolution phase (Fig. 1)....

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, Technical University, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Teresa Jaeger & Johannes Ring

  2. Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technical University and Helmholtz Center, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Tanja Seher & Carsten B. Schmidt-Weber

  3. Department of Dermatology, Vrije Universiteit Brussee, 1090, Brussels, Belgium

    Jan Gutermuth

Authors
  1. Teresa Jaeger
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  2. Tanja Seher
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  3. Carsten B. Schmidt-Weber
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  4. Johannes Ring
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  5. Jan Gutermuth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Teresa Jaeger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Ian R. Mackay

  2. Center for Autoimmune Disease Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Noel R. Rose

  3. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA

    Dennis K. Ledford

  4. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA

    Richard F. Lockey

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Jaeger, T., Seher, T., Schmidt-Weber, C.B., Ring, J., Gutermuth, J. (2014). Allergic Contact Dermatitis. In: Mackay, I.R., Rose, N.R., Ledford, D.K., Lockey, R.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Medical Immunology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9194-1_453

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9194-1_453

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-9193-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9194-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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