Outbreak of contact sensitization to methylisothiazolinone: an analysis of French data from the REVIDAL-GERDA network

Abstract

Background: The preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI) is used in combination with methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), but the MCI/MI mixture has been identified as highly allergenic. MI is considered to be less allergenic, and since the mid-2000s has been widely used alone, but is now clearly identified as a contact allergen. The French Vigilance Network for Dermatology and Allergy of the Study and Research Group on Contact Dermatitis (REVIDAL-GERDA) added MI to its baseline patch testing series in 2010.

Objective: To evaluate the change in the proportion of MI-positive tests in France between 2010 and 2012.

Patients/materials/methods: We conducted a nationwide, multicentre, retrospective study of all MI-tested patients between 2010 and 2012.

Results: Sixteen centres participated in the study (7874 patients were tested). Patch tests were performed mainly at a concentration of MI 200 ppm aq. We observed a significant increase in the proportion of MI-positive tests in 2012 and 2011 as compared with 2010 (5.6%, 3.3%, and 1.5%, respectively; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: We report a significant increase in the number of MI-positive tests. MI is confirmed to be a rapidly emerging allergen, as also observed in other European countries.

Keywords: France; REVIDAL-GERDA; contact dermatitis; cosmetics; methylchloroisothiazolinone; methylisothiazolinone; preservative; sensitization.