ABSTRACT
Dermatitis occurring after ingestion of urushiol chicken is quite common in Korea. Allergic contact dermatitis is well established as a type IV immune reaction. The severity and acuteness of the inflammation determines the clinical appearance of allergic contact dermatitis. The prototype is poison ivy, which has urushiol, the pentadecacatechol produced by several related plants in the Rhus genus. Unlike erythema multiforme, the erythema multiforme-like eruption is considered to be an id-like reaction occurring with powerful sensitization, penetration-enhancing substances, high concentrations or repeated application of allergens. A 34-year-old female patient presented with multiple iris or annular shaped maculopapular eruption appeared on the margin of skin lesion of systemic allergic contact dermatitis.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Allergens , Chickens , Dermatitis , Dermatitis, Allergic Contact , Eating , Erythema Multiforme , Erythema , Inflammation , Iris , Korea , Rhus , Skin , ToxicodendronABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Dermatitis occurring after ingestion of the urushiol chicken is quite common in Korea. Although many cases of the systemic contact dermatitis due to urushiol chicken have already been reported, systemic study on its epidemiology is not done yet. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the demography of the eaters of the urushiol chicken with its general understandings in society and the incidence of the resultant systemic dermatitis. METHODS: By the help of the patients who developed the dermatitis, all the persons who ate it together with the patients were interviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: l. 171 eaters of the urushiol chicken(125 male and 46 female) were enrolled in this study(M:F= 3.1:1). The age group in 4th decade was the most common in male, the 5th decade in female. The age prevalence of the systemic contact dermatitis corresponded to the age prevalence of the eater. 2. Incidence rate of systemic contact dermatitis among the eaters was 32.2% (55/171). Incidence rate according to each age group were as follows : 0% in 2nd decade, 33.3% in the 3rd decade, 32.4% in 4th decade, 32.8% in 5th decade, 33.3% in 6th decade, 25% in the 7th decade. 3. One third (57/171) of the eaters ate the urushiol chicken to strengthen their internal organs, especially stomach, which they believed to be weak 70 persons (40.9%) ate it at home, 101 persons (59.1%) ate it at a restaurant. 4. Out of 67 persons having past history of allergic contact dermatitis to Rhus tree, 28 persons (41.8%) showed systemic contact dermatitis. Out of 104 persons without past history of allergy to Rhus, 27 persons (26.0%) showed systemic contact dermatitis.