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2776850 
Journal Article 
Contact Allergy to Salicyl Alcohol in Aspen Bark 
Jolanki, R; Suhonen, R; Henriks-Eckerman M-L; Estlander, T; Kanerva, L 
1997 
Yes 
Contact Dermatitis
ISSN: 0105-1873
EISSN: 1600-0536 
NIOSH/00240651 
37 
6 
304-305 
English 
A case study of a 38 year old Finnish farmer who experienced dermatitis on his face, eyelids, neck, wrist and legs, was presented. His condition worsened while he was doing some forestry work using a chain saw. His symptoms improved when he refrained from forestry work. Patch testing revealed reactions to aspen, a test with the outer layer of bark producing a ++ reaction, with the inner layer a +++ reaction, and with aspen wood a + reaction. Potential allergens that were isolated from the wood included benzyl-benzoate, benzoic-acid, salicylaldehyde and salicyl-alcohol (90017). The patient only tested positive for salicyl-alcohol. He also had contact allergy to balsam-of-Peru (8007009). The authors suggest that the allergy to balsam-of-Peru may indicate a clinically relevant contact allergy to the aspen tree. They conclude that salicyl-alcohol is a potential contact allergen in forestry workers who come into contact with aspen trees and they recommend the addition of salicyl-alcohol to patch tests for forestry workers living in Europe, and central and northern Asia. 
2-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol; 2-Methylolphenol; Aspen bark; Balsam of Peru; CAS 90-01-7; Chemical analyses; Contact allergy; Cross-sensitivity; Occupational; Populus tremula; Salicyl alcohol