Airborne contact dermatitis from Compositae oleoresins simulating photodermatitis

Abstract

American ragweed (Ambrosia) dermatitis has an airborne pattern and is caused by lipid soluble oleoresins of pollens. A similar weed dermatitis was described in India and Australia. The weeds involved were all of the Compositae family and contain sesquiterpene lactones with 1 common antigenic determinant. This study reports 7 Danish patients treated for many years under the diagnosis of photodermatitis, who eventually were shown to suffer from Compositae oleoresin dermatitis. Probably, Compositae dermatitis is a world-wide disease, although often misdiagnosed as has happened in Scandinavia.