key: cord-0919680-yby4k1pm
authors: Dear, Kate; Nguyen, Jennifer; Nixon, Rosemary
title: Disinfectant cleaning wipes can burn! The hazards of cleaning without adequate skin protection
date: 2021-03-22
journal: Contact Dermatitis
DOI: 10.1111/cod.13800
sha: fd7e4d2bd0a23b7193561a45b8c7d86590bb499a
doc_id: 919680
cord_uid: yby4k1pm

nan

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased hygiene and disinfecting practices throughout industries, homes, and healthcare settings. Hazardous exposure to disinfectants and cleaning agents, seen by US poison centres, has increased by almost 25% since the pandemic began. 1

A 67-year-old nurse presented to our tertiary referral occupational dermatology clinic 7 weeks following the onset of a painful, pruritic, vesicular eruption with marked oedema of her hands and forearms ( Figure 1 ). The eruption began within 2 hours of direct dermal exposure to Clinell Sporicidal Wipes (GAMA Healthcare Ltd, London, UK), which she used to clean a metal pole, without the use of protective gloves. The eruption worsened in severity over 24 hours. There was no atopy or previous skin disease. She was initially commenced on oral prednisolone, 25 mg once daily, for 2 weeks, alongside topical methylprednisolone aceponate 0.1%, with improvement.

However, on weaning of prednisolone, her symptoms relapsed. When 

Clinell Sporicidal Wipes are dry, single surface, disinfectant wipes that generate peracetic acid (C 2 H 4 O 3 ) and hydrogen peroxide from sodium percarbonate and tetraacetylethylenediamine once wet. 2 Designed for disinfecting surfaces of non-invasive medical equipment, they have powerful sporicidal activity against a range of fungal, bacterial, and viral F I G U R E 1 Bilateral erythema with vesicles papules and oedema following direct dermal exposure to peracetic acid in Clinell Sporicidal wipes

Cleaning and disinfectant chemical exposures and temporal associations with COVID-19 -National Poison Data System

Safety Data Sheet Clinell Sporicidal Wipes

Virucidal Quantitative Suspension Test for Chemical Disinfectants and Antiseptics Used in the Medical Area: MERS-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) 2020

Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

Peracetic acid exposure assessment during outbreak of SARS in Tianjin

Disinfectant cleaning wipes can burn! The hazards of cleaning without adequate skin protection