An Update on Airborne Contact Dermatitis: 2001-2006

Reports on airborne dermatoses are mainly published in the context of occupational settings. Hence, in recent years, dermatologists and also occupational physicians have become increasingly aware of the airborne source of contact dermatitis, resulting mainly from exposure to irritants or allergens. However, their occurrence is still underestimated, because reports often omit the term 'airborne' in relation to dust or volatile allergens. For the present update, we screened the journals 'Contact Dermatitis' (July 2000 to December 2006); 'Dermatitis', formerly named 'American Journal of Contact Dermatitis'; 'La Lettre du Gerda' (January 2000 to December 2006); and also included relevant articles from other journals published during the same period. This resulted in an updated list of airborne dermatitis causes.

Necrosis of a Guinea Pig Stomach after Contact with Povidone-Iodine: a Case Report

Rodents are the most frequently used animals in surgical experimentation. It is estimated that guinea pigs in particular are the third most commonly used species in this context. To disinfect guinea pigs’ skin, either alcohol or surgical iodine are most often used. In the context of an animal research project, a Nissen operation was performed in an adult male guinea pig. Because of accidental contamination of the operative field, a 10% povidone-iodine cutaneous solution was applied to the serosa of the anterior wall of the stomach and to the gastric fundus. The guinea pig died 12 hours after surgery due to an acute necrotizing hemorrhagic gastritis. Although there have been a few reports of povidone-iodine toxicity in the guinea pig, as far as the authors could determine, this is the first time that such a serious abdominal complication is reported. The authors believe that the possibility of a similar event should be taken into consideration when planning, executing and interpreting experiments in the guinea pig.