Morren M A, Janssens V, Dooms-Gossens A, Van Hoeyveld E, Cornelis A, De Wolf-Peeters C, Heremans A
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993 Nov;29(5 Pt 1):723-8. doi: 10.1016/0190-9622(93)70237-n.
alpha-Amylase, an enzyme commonly used in flour additives, has been reported to be an important cause of rhinitis and asthma in bakers.
Our purpose was to determine whether this enzyme could also cause dermatitis. We tested it routinely in bakers with hand eczema.
Patch tests were administered with the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group standard series and a bakery series and scratch-chamber or prick tests were performed with the bakers' own material and with alpha-amylase powder.
Of 32 bakers tested, seven had an immediate wheal-and-flare reaction and two also had a delayed eczematous reaction. High dilutions of the alpha-amylase powder still gave strong reactions.
alpha-Amylase is an important cause of skin reactions in bakers and should be tested routinely if a contact allergy is suspected.
