ESTUDO PRELIMINAR DAS DERMATOSES INDUSTRIAIS EM SÃO PAULO

Abstract

A preliminary report of some observations on occupational dermatoses in São Paulo is presented. Further studies of the subject are well justified, considering its social and clinicai interest as well as the present trend of industrial development in São Paulo and neighboring towns. The report consists of: a) Detection of occupational dermatoses through in-plant examination of 2138 workers. 221 cases of skin diseases were disclosed, among which 73 of occupational and paraoccupational origin, representing 3.5% of the workers and 33% of the skin diseases. Excluding paraoccupational cases (o f doubtful occupational origin), there rema in 50 cases o f true occupational dermatoses, corresponding to 2.3% of the workers and 22.6% of the skin diseases. 45 of the Iatter were cases of oil acne ("elaioconiosis follicularis"), with exposure to petroleum products, representing 2% of the workers and 90% of the true occupational dermatoses. b) Identification o f the agent in 28 cases o f occupational dermatoses attending the Dermatological Clinic of the "Instituto de Aposentadoria e Pensões dos Industriári0s" from january 1 to August 15, 1951. In 21 cases patch tests were performed at the Department of Allergy of the "Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo". c) Study of 18 workers selected among 64 cases of contact dermatitis registered at the Department of Allergy, Central Laboratory, "Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo", from 1947 to mid-1951. The mechanism of production of occupational dermatoses is briefly discussed. Sézary's classification of occupational dermatoses into orthoergic and allergic is accepted. A few remarks about the results of the patch tests are made. The need of further investigations, requiring full cooperation of management and labor, and the medicai and social importance of such studies, are stressed.