Background: Allergic contact dermatitis is a common condition with an incidence of 1-10% in the general population. An increasing number of allergens in the environment are responsible for the condition. These allergens can be identified using patch testing. Many countries have a standard series of common allergens used for patch testing. There is no standard series of allergens in Ethiopia, and our objective was to obtain baseline data for common allergens for future standardization.
Methods: One hundred and eighty-one subjects with eczema were patch tested using 17 selected allergens from Chemotechnique Diagnostics AB employing a standard procedure.
Results: Positive patch test reactions were detected in more than 60% of subjects, the most common allergen being nickel, followed by fragrance mix and butylphenolformaldehyde. A higher incidence of positive reactions was seen in females.
Conclusions: A high incidence of positive patch test reactions was identified in the study population, and the introduction of patch testing in Ethiopia is essential for the management of allergic contact dermatitis.