An epidemic of occupational contact dermatitis from an acrylic glue.

Dermatological examinations were performed in 81 workers involved in the manufacture of electric coils for television displays, who had worked for 4 years in contact with a glue containing isobornyl acrylate, acrylic acid, N,N dimethyleneacrylamide, phosphine oxide, bis(2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl) (2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)- and beta-carboxyethyl acrylate. The glue was cured by 350-500-nm ultraviolet and visible radiations. Acrylate-specific dermal lesions were detected in 21 (25.9%) people. Occupational irritant contact dermatitis was diagnosed in 12 (15%) of the workers and occupational allergic contact dermatitis in 9 (11.2%). 12 people reacted to acrylates. Cross-reactions with methacrylates were not observed. The highest number of positive tests was obtained with triethyleneglycol diacrylate (10 people) and diethyleneglycol diacrylate (9), followed by 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (5), 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (4), beta-carboxyethyl acrylate (3), tripropyleneglycol diacrylate (2) and pentaerythritol triacrylate (2). No cases of allergy to isobornyl acrylate, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide or phosphine oxide were noted.