Contact dermatitis to animal proteins: report of a case due to cat allergens

Contact dermatitis to animal proteins is a dermatosis that presents as chronic eczema with episodic acute exacerbations usually located on the hands and forearms. It has been described especially as a result of repeated occupational contact with livestock and foods of animal origin. The present case report describes a patient with no occupational exposure to animals but who reported regular manual contact with a cat for a few weeks before developing hand dermatitis with severe itching. The lesions did not improve with a variety of treatments, including local corticosteroids. A diagnosis of chronic hand dermatitis caused by contact with cat epithelium was suspected and confirmed by positive skin prick tests and specific IgE assay. The patient was free of symptoms when separated from his cat during a period of three weeks. A positive provocation test with a cat confirmed the diagnosis. This is the first case report of non-occupational contact dermatitis due to cat epithelium. (c) 2006 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tons droits reserves.