Outbreak of Phototoxic Dermatitis from Limes

[Guest guest]

The season of the sun is fast coming upon us. Keep your skin happy and

healthy by avoiding easily preventable phototoxic reactions. Knowledge

is power ..

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00017874.htm

 

Outbreak of Phototoxic Dermatitis from Limes -- Maryland

 

On August 8, 1984, the Office of Disease Control and Epidemiology,

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, was notified by a

nurse at a day camp in Owings Mills, Maryland, of a rash illness

reported among 12 children during the previous week. The rash, confined

to the dorsa of the hands and extensor and flexor surfaces of the

forearms and in the form of blotches, speckles, and streaks, was

macular, hyperpigmented, and nonpruritic. No other signs or symptoms

were noted. Dermatologists diagnosed the rash as a phototoxic contact

dermatitis. Investigation disclosed that limes used in an art class to

make pomander balls were incriminated as the cause of the rash.

 

All children and counselors at the day camp were examined for evidence

of the characteristic rash. A case was defined as a day-camp member with

the rash noted by the examiner between August 8 and August 14.

Ninety-seven (16%) of 622 children and seven (7%) of 104 counselors were

affected. None of the 57 adult staff members reported a rash. Analysis

of rash in children and counselors by sex and race showed no

disproportionate representation. Since most children were too young to

remember a date of onset, parents of children with rash were telephoned

and asked for the date they first discovered the rash (Figure 1). Of the

82 (85%) mothers contacted, 23 (28%) had not noticed the rash or had

thought it was dirt.

 

Several activities involving work with hands were investigated. Five

activities that involved more than two-thirds (65) of affected children

were significantly associated with illness (p less than or equal to

0.004). These activities were making wallpaper, pomanders, tissue

wine-paper cups, and burlap covers and participating in a nature

scavenger hunt. However, when controlling for each of the other four

activities, only exposure to making pomanders in arts and crafts class

was significantly associated with illness (p less than or equal to

0.03). Of the 17 counselors who had helped children make the pomanders,

seven had the rash (p 0.001), whereas none of the 34 counselors who were

not exposed to the pomanders had the rash (p 0.001). The pomanders were

made from July 23 to July 27 by camp units A and B (approximately 60

children per unit) and by some members of units D and H on July 31.

Discovery of the rash for most cases correlates with the time of

exposure (Figure 1).

 

In making pomanders, the children received one lime each during class,

poked several holes in it with scissors, filled the holes with cloves,

sprinkled cinnamon over the lime, and placed the product in cloth later

tied with a pipecleaner. During the process, oil glands in the lime skin

probably ruptured, releasing chemicals in the oil known to cause

phototoxicity on exposure to the sun (1-5).

 

The limes were purchased from a supermarket, part of a nationwide chain,

that purchases its limes from Florida. After harvesting the limes, the

processors wash off any insecticides (all water-soluble) and later coat

the limes with an inert vegetable wax. Environmental and botanical

survey of the camp did not reveal other chemicals or plants with

phototoxic potential with which camp members may have come into contact.

 

Reported by E Israel, MD, State Epidemiologist, Maryland State Dept of

Health and Mental Hygiene; Div of Field Svcs, Epidemiology Program

Office, Chronic Diseases Div, Center for Environmental Health, CDC.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00017874.htm

 

**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be

addressed to mmwrq.

 

August 02, 1985

Page converted: 08/05/98

[Guest guest]

Guess I now know why I get sunburn type cold sores on my lips in the

summer...will stay away from drinking fresh lemonade (and eating the lemon

wedge)while relaxing on the back porch, after a day doing yard work.

Anita in TX

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

At 01:18 PM 4/18/2004 -0500, you wrote:

>Guess I now know why I get sunburn type cold sores on my lips in the

summer...will stay away from drinking fresh lemonade (and eating the lemon

wedge)while relaxing on the back porch, after a day doing yard work.

>Anita in TX

 

I just added a bunch of photos of Berloque dermatitis victims to the Photo

album.

You can see someone who got some upper lip damage, someone who had an

antiperspirant with bergamot in it, some who dabbed some citrus-containing

perfume, and others. Keep these photos in mind when you make a blend with a

phototoxic oil, as they're rather sobering:

http://tinyurl.com/2dzxo]http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady

[Guest guest]

>

> Anya,

You are right. These are sobering. For my personal use only I make a

deodorant spray with a very small amount of bergamot, maybe 1-3

percent.

 

What is your opinion about that small percentage and

phototoxicity/photosensitivity?

Sandi Thompson

Force of Nature Aromatherapy

Custom Blends for Your Well Being

www.forceofnaturearomatherapy.com

> I just added a bunch of photos of Berloque dermatitis victims to the

> Photo

> album.

> You can see someone who got some upper lip damage, someone who had an

> antiperspirant with bergamot in it, some who dabbed some

> citrus-containing

> perfume, and others. Keep these photos in mind when you make a blend

> with a

> phototoxic oil, as they're rather sobering:

> http://tinyurl.com/2dzxo]

> Anya

> http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

At 03:34 PM 4/18/2004 -0700, you wrote:

>>

>> Anya,

>You are right. These are sobering. For my personal use only I make a

>deodorant spray with a very small amount of bergamot, maybe 1-3

>percent.

>

>What is your opinion about that small percentage and

>phototoxicity/photosensitivity?

 

Hi Sandi

I live in Miami,so I'm not every going to use bergamot or any of the

photosensitizing oils in a leave-on product, esp. one I would wear during

the day. Never. We have a usual UV index of 10-12 here, but folks in NYC of

SF usually only have a UV index of 4-6, so we all need to make individual

choices (and I'm not a gambler! :-)

http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady

[Guest guest]

> Hi Anya

I live in Eugene, Oregon and lately I seem to be always cold and

covered up, so until it hits 80 degrees for several days and I peel off

some layers, I'll still use the bergamot. However, I will be extra

cautions when exposing more skin now that I've seen those scary

pictures.

 

Thanks again for posting them.

 

Sandi Thompson

Force of Nature Aromatherapy

Custom Blends for Your Well Being

www.forceofnaturearomatherapy.com

>

> Hi Sandi

> I live in Miami,so I'm not every going to use bergamot or any of the

> photosensitizing oils in a leave-on product, esp. one I would wear

> during

> the day. Never. We have a usual UV index of 10-12 here, but folks in

> NYC of

> SF usually only have a UV index of 4-6, so we all need to make

> individual

> choices (and I'm not a gambler! :-)

>

> Anya

> http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady

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