J. Madsen, K. Andersen
Nov 1, 2016
Citations
0
Influential Citations
10
Citations
Journal
Contact Dermatitis
Abstract
1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT) (CAS no. 2634-33-5) is a biocide and fungicide that is widely used in paint and varnishes, but also in household cleaning products such as laundry detergents, and in agriculture pesticide formulations. BIT is the most frequently used isothiazolinone on the Danish market, followed by methylisothiazolinone (MI) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/MI (1). A Danish study found 985 registered products on the Danish market containing BIT (1). BIT is a well-known contact allergen, and can also cause airborne and systemic contact dermatitis (2). BIT was found to be not safe for use in cosmetic products in 2012 (3), and most published cases are therefore occupational (4–11). The Allergen Bank is a service established in 1992 for dermatologists in practice in Denmark, where, on a subscription basis, they can gain access to extra contact allergens, for example BIT, as supplements to the baseline series for case-by-case testing of individual patients (12). BIT (0.05% and 0.1% pet.) has been available from the Allergen Bank since 2001, and is found in the shoe series and a cooling lubricant series, but can also be ordered as an individual allergen.