[Causes of allergic occupational dermatitis diagnosed at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Lodz during the last five years].

During the years 1988-1992 there were diagnosed 299 cases of allergic occupational eczema (115 females and 184 males). Among them 20.4% of patients were employed in health care and social welfare, 20.1% in the metallurgical and machine industries, 19.7% in the building industry and 9% in the textile and clothing industries. Allergy to nickel (45.2%), cobalt (40%), chromium (33.9%) and formalin (15.7%) was the most common cause of occupational allergy in females, while 63% of males were hypersensitive to chromium, 42.4% to cobalt, 17.4% to nickel and 14.7% to epidianes. When compared with the years 1972-1987 an increased incidence of occupational skin diseases was found especially in females, but also in health service workers as well as in workers employed by the metallurgical and machine industries. Chromium compounds still remain the main cause of occupational eczema, however, the number of persons sensitive to this metal has decreased. An increased allergy to nickel and formaldehyde and decreased allergy to turpentine have been also observed.