Occupational skin diseases and aldehydes

Occupational skin diseases (irritation, ulceration, urticaria and immunological eczema) to aldehydes, especially formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and glyoxal, have been recognized for a long time in France as occupational diseases entitled to compensation. The occupational circumstances where these conditions are encountered are primarily in health care workers, particularely those who sterilize endoscopy, dental and dialysis instruments, who conserve tissues (especially in anatomy and pathology laboratories), those who use cooling fluids during machining of metals, who handle plastics containing formol derivatives, as well as those who have contact with certain textiles, cosmetics or nails hardeners. These allergens are very frequently encountered (formol is included in the standard battery of contact allergens), but it is expected that their use will decrease because of the now-recognized cancerogenic character of formol and the inefficiency of glutaraldehyde in sterilization against prions. Preventive measures against these aldehydes are therefore essential. (C) 2007 Publie par Elsevier Masson SAS.