ABSTRACT
Acetarsone present in medications to treat vaginal infections with Trichomonas vaginalis or Candida albicans has formerly caused many cases of allergic contact dermatitis and systemic contact dermatitis from absorption through the vaginal mucosa. A 38-year-old woman also had allergic contact dermatitis and systemic contact dermatitis from acetarsone vaginal tablets used to treat trichomoniasis vaginalis. She had positive patch tests to the vaginal tablets and its ingredient acetarsone 1% and 5% pet. A female patient aged 47 years had a history of allergy to toothpastes containing acetarsone. She presented with acute dermatitis of the inner thighs from vaginal tablets containing acetarsone. Patch tests were strongly positive to the vaginal tablets, to the toothpaste containing acetarsone and to acetarsone itself. In a number of cases, the patients had previously had generalized rashes from treatment of syphilis with the trivalent arsenic compound neoarsphenamine, again suggesting contact allergy to acetarsone and systemic allergic contact dermatitis from absorption of arsenic from the vagina mucosa.
