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2775503 
Journal Article 
Contact Urticaria and Asthma From Denatonium Benzoate (Bitrex) 
Bjorkner, B 
1980 
Yes 
Contact Dermatitis
ISSN: 0105-1873
EISSN: 1600-0536 
NIOSH/00106793 
6 
7 
466-471 
7214890 
WOS:A1980KX61100006 
A case report of allergy to denatonium-benzoate (3734336) (Bitrex) is reviewed. A 30 year old male complained of allergic reactions, including asthma like symptoms and pruritis, to various substances containing ethanol which had been denatured with Bitrex. These included a garden insecticide, antifreeze, window cleaning solutions, and aftershave lotion. Patch testing and open testing with the suspect compounds produced positive symptoms. The patient was also sensitive to benzoic-acid and sodium-benzoate, but to only one of three other quartenary ammonium compounds. The standard patch test, and tests with plants and flowers, were negative. Since the patient reacted to denatonium-benzoate in very low concentrations, and reacted even when the skin had been depleted of histamine, the author suggests that an immunologic reaction mechanism was involved in the allergic reaction.