Wood dust contact dermatitis among workers in the furniture making industry

Workers in the furniture making industry are exposed to wood dust, polish, glue, solvents, cleansers, and preservatives. 22 (1.4%) of all new patients attending the Colombo South Teaching Hospital and the Lunawa District Hospital Skin Clinics for the first time over a period of one year had suspected wood dust contact dermatitis. No previous studies on wood dust contact dermatitis have been reported from Sri Lanka.

The aims and objectives of the study were to determine the common types of wood used in the furniture industry in Sri Lanka and to study the clinical patterns of contact dermatitis to these.

The 22 patients with clinical features of contact dermatitis to wood dusts were studied to assess the patterns of dermatitis, the duration of work in the industry, the presence of any accompanying mucosal symptoms such as asthma, cough rhinitis and red eyes. The patients were patch tested to the European standard battery and the freshly sawn dry and wet wood dusts.

Suriyamara (Albizia odoratisma), teak (Tectonia grandis), nadun (Pteriocopsis mooniana) and burutha (Chloroxylon swietenia) were identified as the common woods used.

Suriyamara showed the highest incidence of allergic patch test reactions affecting 8 patients and teak had the highest number of irritant reactions. Wood dust-related leukoderma was seen in 4 patients and these patients had positive patch test reactions to suriyamara. This is the first report of suriyamara induced contact dermatitis and leucoderma.

Seven workers had associated mucosal symptoms of asthma, cough, rhinitis and red eyes.