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Embalmers (Including Funeral Service Workers)

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Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology

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Abstract

Embalmers and funeral service workers are exposed to skin irritants and allergens and may develop irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. The most common allergens found in a workplace-based study were formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde. Embalmers may also be at risk for contact urticaria related to latex. They are also at risk for infectious diseases. Students and staff in anatomy laboratories may also have exposure to formaldehyde from the embalmed bodies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Occupational Medicine, St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    D. Linn Holness

  2. Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    D. Linn Holness & Diandra Budd

Authors
  1. D. Linn Holness
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  2. Diandra Budd
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Linn Holness .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Swen Malte John

  2. Department of Dermato-allergology, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark

    Jeanne Duus Johansen

  3. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  4. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  5. Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Holness, D.L., Budd, D. (2018). Embalmers (Including Funeral Service Workers). In: John, S., Johansen, J., Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., Maibach, H. (eds) Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_148-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_148-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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