Affiliation:
1. National Allergy Research Centre, Department of Dermatology and Allergy Herlev and Gentofte Hospital Hellerup Denmark
2. Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Copenhagen Denmark
3. Department of Dermatology and Allergy Herlev and Gentofte Hospital Hellerup Denmark
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundNeomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that may cause contact allergy. It was withdrawn as a medicine for human use in Denmark in October 2009 but is still found in some vaccines.ObjectivesTo identify time trends in contact allergy to neomycin in the period from 2000 to 2023.MethodsA cross‐section study of patients ≥18 years consecutively patch‐tested with neomycin sulfate (20% in pet.) at Gentofte Hospital, Denmark, during the period 2000–2023 was conducted.ResultsThe overall prevalence of contact allergy to neomycin was 1.4%. The prevalence was significantly lower in the period ‘2010–2023’ (1.2%) than in ‘2000–2009’ (1.8%) (p < 0.005). Contact allergy to neomycin was significantly positively associated with facial dermatitis and age >40 years, and significantly negatively associated with occupational dermatitis and hand dermatitis. No changes in sex, occupational dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, leg dermatitis, facial dermatitis, or age > 40/≤40 (the MOAHLFA‐index) were identified when comparing neomycin contact allergic‐patients in the two periods ‘2010–2023’ and ‘2001–2009’.ConclusionNeomycin is a rare cause of contact allergy in Denmark with a significantly lower prevalence following its withdrawal as a medicinal product for human use in Denmark in 2009.