Occupational contact dermatitis to dill

Allergenic potency of spices: hot, medium hot, or very hot

Spices are the most attractive ingredients to confer an authentic taste to food. As they are derived from plants, they harbour allergenic potency and can induce symptoms ranging from mild local to severe systemic reactions. Due to the content of pharmacologically active substances of spices, the diagnosis of allergy and the differentiation from intolerance reactions may be difficult. Association with inhalative allergies via IgE cross-reactivity, but also direct gastrointestinal sensitization plays a role. This article is a botanical and allergological overview of the most important spices and molecules responsible for eliciting IgE-mediated reactions or cross-reactions. As no curative treatments are known at present, strict avoidance is recommended and, therefore, accurate labelling of pre-packed food is necessary.

[Dermatologic occupationally relevant type I allergies]

In Germany the most frequent initial report of occupational disease is due to occupational skin diseases ("Berufskrankheitenanzeige nach Nr. 5101 der Berufskrankheitenverordnung") defined as "severe or recurrent skin diseases that force the discontinuation of any activity that causes or that could be causing the development, the worsening, or the recurrence of the skin disease". The majority of these occupational skin diseases consists of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis. In contrast, work place- related Type I allergy (contact urticaria syndrome) is less frequent, but carries the risk of systemic reactions. The clinical manifestations and pattern of exposure to Type I allergens in the work place are described.