[New pets, allergens and allergic dermatitis]

Abstract

The number of household pets increased greatly during the twentieth century, with the numbers of new pets (NP, i.e. any pet other than cats and dogs) rising especially sharply over the last decade. Contact with such animals, whose owners do not always know how to look after them properly, expose the population to new risks such as trauma, infection and allergy. While the most common allergies are respiratory, allergic skin reactions, both immediate and delayed, may also result from contact with these new allergens. The animal itself or its environment may be the cause. Herein, we review NPs and reports of allergic dermatitis associated with them.

Keywords: Allergic dermatitis; Allergie; Allergènes domestiques; Contact dermatitis; Contact urticaria; Dermatoses allergiques; Eczéma de contact; Household allergens; Hypersensitivity; New pets; Nouveaux animaux de compagnie; Urticaire de contact.