The varying prevalences of polysensitization across Europe most likely reflect differences in patient characteristics and referral patterns between departments. Known risk factors for polysensitization are confirmed in a European dermatitis population.

Background Occupational skin diseases have led the occupational disease statistics in Europe for many years. Especially occupational allergic contact dermatitis is associated with a poor prognosis and low healing rates leading to an enormous burden for the affected individual and for society. Objectives To present the sensitization frequencies to the most relevant allergens of the European baseline series in patients with occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) and to compare sensitization profiles of different occupations. Methods The data of 16 022 patients considered having OCD after patch testing within the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA) network between January 2011 and December 2020 were evaluated. Patients (n = 46 652) in whom an occupational causation was refuted served as comparison group. Results The highest percentages of OCD were found among patients working in agriculture, fishery and related workers, metal industry, chemical industry, followed by building and construction industry, health care, food and service industry. Sensitizations to rubber chemicals (thiurams, carbamates, benzothiazoles) and epoxy resins were associated with at least a doubled risk of OCD. After a decline from 2014 onwards, the risks to acquire an occupation‐related sensitization to methyl(chloro)isothiazolinone (MCI/MI) and especially to methylisothiazolinone (MI) seem to increase again. Sensitization rates to formaldehyde were stable, and to methyldibromo glutaronitrile (MDBGN) slightly decreasing over time. Conclusions Among allergens in the European Baseline Series, occupational relevance is most frequently attributed to rubber accelerators, epoxy resins and preservatives.

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We report a case of a woman which had in 6-months three episodes of a recurrent postcoital skin eruption, each lasting for a few weeks. It seemed like a sexually induced eruption. She admitted to take only her permanent therapy that could not be connected to her skin signs. Thanks to her Health Insurance Card with the digital record of all the drugs she had received in the last two years it was possible to find out that she was intermittently taking co-trimoxazole in order to prevent an after intercourse urinary bladder infection. A good evidence of the patient's medication has a key role in the diagnosis of skin adverse drug reactions. Fixed drug eruption is a common adverse drug reaction and everyone prescribing a long term antibiotic prophylaxis should be aware of it.