Background: The frequency of contact allergens is often regionally different and hence it regional identification is important for the prevention of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the most common contact allergens in the etiology of ACD from 2008-2012 and evaluate their dynamics in comparison with similar studies in the Czech Republic and internationally carried out in previous years.
Methods: A total of 1941 patients with suspected ACD were examined using the patch tests from the European Standard Series. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis.
Results: The most common contact allergy was to nickel (15.4%), the second most frequent allergen was Balsam of Peru (11.6%). The top five allergens in the whole sample also included, in descending order, fragrance-mix I (7.1%), cobalt chloride (6.4%), and Kathon CG (4.0%). While the order of contact allergens causing sensitisation in women is consistent with the results of the whole sample, in men instead of cobalt and Kathon CG, epoxy resin and chromium appeared among the five most common allergens.
Conclusions: In the Czech Republic, despite existing EU legislation, action to reduce the frequency of sensitization to nickel failed in contrast to other EU countries. In addition to nickel, consistent preventive measures should be focused mainly on sensitization to Balsam of Peru, cobalt, epoxy resins, chromium and aromatic substances and preservatives used in the cosmetic industry.
Keywords: Kathon CG; balsam of peru; chromium; cobalt; contact dermatitis; epoxy resin; fragrance-mix I; nickel; patch tests.