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HOME > Korean J Prev Med > Volume 30(1); 1997 > Article
Original Article Phototoxic Dermatosis among Coal-tar Pitch Workers.
Cheol Jung, Hyun Sul Lim, Doo Hie Kim, Yeol Oh Sung
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 1997;30(1):145-156
DOI: https://doi.org/
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1Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Doggguk University, Korea.
2Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Doggguk University, Korea.
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Interview survey and dermatological examination have been performed to investigate the health problems of workers continuously exposed to coal-tar pitch. The phototoxicity of coal-tar pitch was confirmed by the photopatch tests for six healthy adults. The main results are followings; 1. There was no special history of allergic diseases in both the exposed and non-exposed group. 2. The frequency of the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne in the exposed group was significantly greater(p<0.05) than that of the control group. In the exposed group, the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne were observed in nine workers(90%) and seven workers(70%), respectively. However, those disease were not observed in the control group. 3. Five results(83%) were positive to the photopatch test for coal-tar pitch 48 hours after UVA irradiation. But the lesion was subsiding 72 hours after UVA irradiation. 4. Malignant cancers were not reported among workers ever exposed to coal-tar pitch. In conclusion, it appears that workers exposed to coal-tar pitch have high risks of phototoxic dermatosis and coal-tar acne. A health policy should be provided to prevent phototoxic dermatosis among coal-tar pitch workers. More studies are required to determine malignancy.

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