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A probable role for vaccines containing thimerosal in thimerosal hypersensitivity
Author(s) -
Osawa Junko,
Kitamura Kazuko,
Ikezawa Zenro,
Nakahma Hiroshi
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01694.x
Subject(s) - thimerosal , thiomersal , medicine , allergy , patch test , immunology , dermatology
We patch tested 141 patients with 0.05% aq thimerosal and 222 patients with 0.05% aq, mercuric chloride, including 63 children. The frequency of positive patch test reactions to thimerosal was 16.3%. There was a marked preponderance in the young age groups after vaccination, while none of 3h infants (aged 3–48 months) reacted lo thimerosal positive reactions to mercuric chloride were found in 23 (10.4%) of 223 patients. We also sensitized guinea pigs with diphtheria‐pertussis‐tetanus (DPT) vaccine containing 0.01% thimerosal and succeeded in inducing hypersensitivity to thimerosal. From patch testing in humans and animal experiments, it is suggested that 0.01% thimerosal in vaccines can sensitize children, and that hypersensitivity to thimerosal is due to the throsaticylic part of the molecule and correlates with photosensitivity to piroxicam.