SLIDE 81 - Tick bite reaction

This reaction is fairly typical and may persist for 1 to 2 weeks before subsiding. In addition some ticks are vectors for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other rickettsial diseases.

SLIDE 82 - Nail disorder, traumatic

The spectrum of occupational dermatoses also includes work-related disorders of the hair and nails. Frequently these are the result of trauma, but may also include infections, inflammatory reactions and discoloration.

This key punch operator developed transverse leukonychia following repeated minor trauma to her fingernails.

SLIDE 83 - Wet work, nails

Jobs that require repeated exposure to wet work frequently result in paronychial infections. These painful fingernail folds often harbor both Candida and Pseudomonas organisms, both of which thrive under wet conditions.

SLIDE 84 - Kerion

This farm worker developed a kerion of the scalp due to infection with Trichophyton verrucosum. The involved scalp has become boggy and edematous.

SLIDE 85 - Traumatic alopecia

Long hair presents a special hazard among machine tool operators; entanglement can result in avulsion and traumatic alopecia.

Page last updated: April 17, 2001
Page last reviewed: January 5, 1998
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)