Introduction:Contact dermatitis (CD) is a skin disorder characterized by redness, itching and vesiculation. In chronic cases, scaly desquamation and lichenification may also be present. CD results from contact with environmental substances that elicits an allergic and/or irritant response.Material and Methods:A total of 100 patients of contact dermatitis of either sex who attended the Out-Patient Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy at Tertiary care teaching hospital over a period constituted the subject material for the present study. Inclusion Criteria: Patients clinically suspected to have contact dermatitis. Patients with active dermatitis were first treated and then subjected to patch testing so as to avoid false positivity and excited skin syndrome (Angry back syndrome).Results: Maximum number of cases (21%) showed worsening of disease in summer. Most common clinical pattern was hand dermatitis (30%) followed by foot dermatitis (25%), Air borne contact dermatitis (ABCD) (16%), kumkum dermatitis (11%), Hand and foot dermatitis (7%). In males potassium bichromate (10%), parthenium (9%) and thiuram mix (6%) were the most common allergens whereas in females nickel (9%), kumkum (9%) and fragrance mix (6%) were the most common allergens. In males positive reaction to potassium bichromate (P<0.05), parthenium (P<0.05), thiuram mix (P<0.01), were significantly more common in males. Females showed significantly more positive reactions to nickel (P<0.05), fragrance mix (P<0.05) and kumkum (P<0.01).Conclusion:In our study, the commonest allergens in our patients from hospital adjoining places were potassium bichromate, thiuram mix and parthenium in males, whereas nickel, fragrance mix and kumkum in females. In view of the differences in clinical patterns, positivity rates etc. reported from different parts of India, we owe it to our patients to clarify the epidemiology of this important problem
