We report a significant increase in the number of MI-positive tests. MI is confirmed to be a rapidly emerging allergen, as also observed in other European countries.

Over a period of 19 months, 33 cases of acute allergic contact dermatitis from Veet epilating waxes and/or the accompanying tissue (Reckitt Benckiser, Massy, France) were observed in France and Belgium. The lesions started on the legs and spread to other parts of the body, especially the face, and were sometimes so severe that hospitalization and/or systemic corticosteroids were required. Primary sensitization occurred as early as after the first application in several patients. Patch tests were performed in 26 of the patients and produced strong positive reactions to the tissue (25 times) and/or the wax (13 times). The allergenic culprits in the wax were modified-colophonium derivatives (colophonium in the standard series testing negatively in all except 4 patients), while methoxy PEG-22/dodecyl glycol copolymer and to a lesser degree lauryl alcohol turned out to be the main causal allergens in the tissue.

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The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome exists in tumour cells of T-cell lymphomas in non-immunosuppressed patients. We identified EBV-DNA by in situ hybridization in a case of anaplastic T-cell lymphoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). EBV-DNA has been reported in AIDS-related Hodgkin's disease or B-cell lymphoma, but never in T-cell lymphoma. Although our results suggest that EBV could play a role in the development of these anaplastic T-cell lymphomas, the mechanism of EBV penetration into T-cells remains uncertain.

Antiviral drugs used to treat HIV and hepatitis C are common causes of delayed drug hypersensitivities for which many of the more severe reactions have been recently shown to be immunogenetically mediated such as abacavir hypersensitivity where HLA-B*57:01 is now used routinely as a screening test to exclude patients carrying this allele from abacavir prescription. Most antiviral drug allergies consist of mild to moderate delayed rash without other serious features (e.g. fever, mucosal involvement, blistering rash, organ impairment. In these cases treatment can be continued with careful observation and symptomatic management and the discontinuation rate is low.