The risk of occupational contact dermatitis in COVID-19 isolation ward setting

Background The preventive measures of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) transmissions require the healthcare workers (HCWs) to be more cautious. Irritants or allergens exposure from these measures might induce adverse skin reactions and lead to the development of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). Methods Questionnaires were distributed to HCWs in COVID-19 isolation ward of Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. The questionnaire consisted of personal and work characteristics, clinical history, skin complaints, and occupational exposures. Results Fifty-three completed questionnaires were gathered from eligible subjects. History of atopic dermatitis (AD) was found on 8 subject (15.09%). Many of the subjects had complained of dry skin (28.30%), itchy skin (26.41%), and redness of skin (20.75%) on the hands in the last 12 months. As many as 50.94% of the subjects washed their hands with water and soap at least 6-10 times a day and 49.06% used hand sanitizers 6-10 times a day. The use of PPE were mostly 4 hours a day or less. There were associations between history of AD with complaints related to hand dermatitis (p=0.004) and history of AD with incidence of OCD assessed with Mathias criteria (p=0.016). It was also found that the use of gloves for 2 or more hours a day was associated with skin complaints after gloves use (p=0.021) and the use of hand sanitizer for more than 10 times a day was associated with complaints related to hand dermatitis (p=0.041). Conclusion The repeated and prolonged exposure to irritative or allergenic substances contained in PPE and hand hygiene products is related to OCD, particularly hand dermatitis, among HCWs in COVID-19 isolation ward. Copyright © 2023 Pakistan Association of Dermatologists. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Occupational Contact Dermatitis (OCD) on health workers in Covid-19

Background Generally, the diagnosis of OCD can be considered after a history of exposure to the suspected material and a thorough physical examination. Meanwhile, vital information about it is often overlooked during the initial consultation. Objective Evaluating the epidemiological profile of OCD cases in health workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluating complaints, manifestations and causative materials of OCD cases in health workers at the isolation ward of Dr. Soetomo Surabaya Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods Purposive sampling was used to design research samples from accessible populations that matched the inclusion requirements while those who met exclusion criteria were included as research samples. Results Majority OCD patients are women and the most common age range is between 22-35 years old. The occupation most affected by OCD while working at isolation ward during the pandemic is nurses. The most common complaint is itching followed by redness of the skin which appears most frequently on the hands. The most prominent clinical manifestations are desquamation followed by erythema-like skin lesions. Medical gloves are the sort of personal protection equipment that causes OCD the most, followed by hand hygiene activities. High risk factors for OCD include a family history of atopic illnesses, history of asthma and an early history of atopic dermatitis. Conclusion The use of PPE can cause several effects on the skin such as physical trauma to the skin, acne, contact dermatitis, urticaria, and aggravate previous skin diseases. The most common skin disorders are erythema, papules, scales, fissures, erosions, ulcers, vesicles and wheals. Complaints of contact dermatitis can be reduced and prevented by taking preventive measures in the form of using moisturizers on areas that are often exposed. Copyright © 2023 Pakistan Association of Dermatologists. All rights reserved.