CD06 Delving in to Disperse Orange 1

Abstract

Abstract Disperse Orange 1, colour index 11080, is an azo dye. Collectively, azo dyes are a common cause of textile-related allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). A 2006 European Union (EU) directive restricts the sale of any articles or dyed items that have direct and prolonged contact with the skin or the oral cavity and contain more than 30-ppm azo dyes. These include a wide range of items such clothing, bedding, furniture, toys and yarn. Despite clear regulation set out by the directive, these dyes have been detected within garments produced and sold within the EU (https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/legislation). In our cutaneous allergy clinic, we have patch tested a total of 547 patients to the clothing and dye series. Only seven (1.3%) have tested positive to Disperse Orange 1. We present a series of cases and highlight the suspected sources of exposure. We identified a total of seven patients, four of whom were male. Their ages ranged between 20 and 78 years. Aside from Disperse Orange 1, all patients developed positive patch test results to other disperse dyes. Three patients also reacted to paraphenylenediamine. Sites affected included the head and neck (n = 4), hands (n = 2), chest (n = 1) and leg (n = 1). Other series patients tested positive to included fragrances, metals, rubber, acrylates and local anaesthetics. Suspected sources of Disperse Orange 1 included hair dyes, clothing, wound dressings and a thyroid shield. Few cases of ACD have been published on Disperse Orange 1. One report noted a textile necklace as a source of a severe localized ACD (Nygaard U, Kralund HH, Sommerlund M. Allergic contact dermatitis induced by textile necklace. Case Rep Dermatol 2013; 5:336–9). We wish to raise awareness of the presence of problems with Disperse Orange 1, despite the EU directive. Members should consider a variety of sources, including traditional items such as clothing and hair dyes and also newer items such as dressings and thyroid shields, as suspected in our cases.