[Most frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis in farmers: based on material collected in the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz].

Farmers are exposed to many skin damaging factors. Following dermatological and allergological examinations, in a group of 132 farmers with suspected occupational disease, contact allergy induced by metals (chromates, nickel, cobalt, mercury), disinfectants and their components (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, quaternary ammonium compounds, lysol, chloramine), rubber and pesticides, especially pesticides of thiophtalimide and thiocarbamate groups were recorded. Farmers also reacted to other chemical compounds (colophony, lanolin, propolis) rarely responsible for hypersensitivity in other occupational groups. In addition, extensive areas of dermatitis (13%) induced by irritating chemical (fertilizers, pesticides, fodder for breeding animals) and physical (changing temperature, humidity, effect of solar radiation) factors were observed in the study group.