[Immunoallergic skin manifestations associated with new pets: three cases]

BACKGROUND

The number of household pets increased greatly during the twentieth century, with numbers of new pets (NP, i.e. any pets other than cats and dogs) rising especially sharply over the last decade.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We first of all report the case of a female patient with eczema lesions on areas skin coming into contact with a ferret, with removal of the animal resulting in wound healing, followed by two patients presenting atypical polymorphous erythema reactions induced by dermatophytes present in their pet rat.

DISCUSSION

While the most common allergies are respiratory, allergic skin reactions, both immediate and delayed, may also result from contact with these new allergens. The animal itself or its environment may be the cause.

[New pets, allergens and allergic dermatitis]

The number of household pets increased greatly during the twentieth century, with the numbers of new pets (NP, i.e. any pet other than cats and dogs) rising especially sharply over the last decade. Contact with such animals, whose owners do not always know how to look after them properly, expose the population to new risks such as trauma, infection and allergy. While the most common allergies are respiratory, allergic skin reactions, both immediate and delayed, may also result from contact with these new allergens. The animal itself or its environment may be the cause. Herein, we review NPs and reports of allergic dermatitis associated with them.