Allergic contact dermatitis and mercury exanthem due to mercury chloride in plastic boots

We report a 5-year-old child with previous skin intolerance from Mercurochrome (merbromin), who developed a severe allergic contact dermatitis of both feet when wearing new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) boots. Within a few days, he developed a mercury exanthem involving both legs, groins and lateral parts of the trunk. Patch tests showed strong reactions to organic and inorganic mercury comb pounds, in particular to mercury chloride (mercuric chloride; HgCl2), 0.01% pet., which was identified by atomic absorption spectrometry and polarography in the boots worn. New hidden sources of mercury in consumer goods may represent a potential source of danger for the future, if its use is not more strictly regulated. (C) Munksgaard, 1996.