Chloracne is an acne-like eruption of blackheads, cysts, and pustules associated with over-exposure to certain halogenic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans. The lesions are most frequently found on the cheeks, behind the ears, in the armpits and groin region. Acne is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaseous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). ... This is an article about cysts in the body. ... An abscess is a collection of pus collected in a cavity formed by the tissue on the basis of an infectious process (usually caused by bacteria or parasites) or other foreign materials (e. ... The halogens are a chemical series. ... An aromatic hydrocarbon (abbreviated as AH), or arene is a hydrocarbon, the molecular structure of which incorporates one or more planar sets of six carbon atoms that are connected by delocalised electrons numbering the same as if they consisted of alternating single and double covalent bonds. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Categories: Chemistry stubs ...

The condition was first described in German industrial workers in 1897 by Von Bettman, and was initially believed to be caused by exposure to toxic chlorine (hence the name "chloracne"). It was only in the mid-1950s that chloracne was associated with aromatic hydrocarbons^[1]. The substances that may cause chloracne are now collectively known as "chloracnegens". General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ...

Chloracne is particularly linked to toxic exposure to dioxins (byproducts of many chemical processes, including the manufacture of herbicides such as Agent Orange) — so much so that it is considered a clinical sign of dioxin exposure. The severity and onset of chloracne may follow a typical asymptotic dose response curve. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A herbicide is a pesticide used to kill unwanted plants. ... Agent Orange is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War. ... An asymptote is a straight or curved line which a curve will approach arbitrarily closely. ... Dose response is the change in effect on an organism caused by differing levels of exposure to a substance. ... In mathematics, the concept of a curve tries to capture the intuitive idea of a geometrical one-dimensional and continuous object. ...

Etiology and progression

Chloracne normally results from direct skin contact with chloracnegens, although ingestion and inhalation are also possible causative routes.

Chloracnegens are fat-soluble, meaning they persist in the body fat for a very long period following exposure. Chloracne is a chronic inflammatory condition that results from this persistence, in combination with the toxin's chemical properties. It is believed, at least from rodent models, that the toxin activates a series of receptors promoting macrophage proliferation, inducing neutrophilia and leading to a generalised inflammatory response in the skin. This process may also be augmented by induction of excess tumor necrosis factor in the blood serum. Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... Families See Classification Section The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein on the cell membrane or within the cytoplasm or cell nucleus that binds to a specific factor (a ligand), such as a neurotransmitter, hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand. ... Macrophages (Greek: big eaters) are cells found in tissues that are responsible for phagocytosis of pathogens, dead cells and cellular debris. ... Neutrophilia (or neutrophil leukocytosis) is a condition where a person has a high number of neutrophil granulocytes in their blood. ... In medicine, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα, cachexin or cachectin) is an important cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and the acute phase response. ... Blood plasma is a component of blood. ...

The inflammatory processes lead to the formation of keratinous plugs in skin pores, forming yellowish cysts and dark pustules. The skin lesions occur mainly in the face, but in more severe cases they involve the shoulders and chest, the back, and the abdomen. In advanced cases, the lesions appear also on the arms, thighs, legs, hands and feet. Micrograph of stained α-keratin from mouse liver Keratins are fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble, they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in reptiles, birds and mammals (vertebrates), and also the silk of insects and spiders (invertebrates). ...

In some instances, chloracne may not appear for three to four weeks after toxic exposure; however in other cases - particularly in events of massive exposure - the symptoms may appear within days^[1],[2].

Treatment

Once chloracne has been identified, the primary action is to remove the patient and all other individuals from the source of contamination. Further treatment is symptomatic. In medicine, a disease is symptomatic when it is at a stage when the patient is experiencing symptoms. ...

Severe or persistent lesions may be treated with oral antibiotics or isotretinoin. However, chloracne may be highly resistant to any treatment. An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... Isotretinoin is a generic medication used for the treatment of severe acne and most commonly known under the brands Accutane and Roaccutane. ...

The course of the disease is highly variable. In some cases the lesions may resolve within two years or so; however, in other cases the lesions may be effectively permanent (mean duration of lesions in one 1984 study was 26 years, with some workers remaining disfigured over three decades after exposure^[3]).

Recent research by groups at University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in Ohio and the University of Western Australia indicated that PCB poisoning, including chloracne symptoms, can be treated with fat substitute olestra in the form of fat-free Pringles [1]. McMicken Hall on the main campus. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 34th 116,096 km² 355 km 355 km 8. ... University of Western Australia Winthrop Hall: foyer The University of Western Australia (UWA) is Western Australias oldest university, established in February 1911. ... Labelling transformers containing PCBs Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of organic compounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl and a general structure of C12H10-xClx. ... A ball and stick model of Olestra, showing a central sucrose molecule with ester-linked fatty acids Olestra (also known by its brand name Olean) is an artificial fat substance created by Procter & Gamble in 1968. ... Three Pringles cans Pringles is a brand of potato chip or crisps snack produced by Procter & Gamble. ...

Related conditions

Chloracne is very often seen in combination with hyperhidrosis (clammy, sweaty skin) and porphyria cutanea tarda (a skin condition of increased pigmentation, hair coarsening and blistering). Primary hyperhidrosis is the condition characterized by abnormally increased perspiration, in excess of that required for regulation of body temperature. ... The porphyrias are inherited or acquired disorders of certain enzymes in the heme biosynthetic pathway (also called porphyrin pathway). ...

Notable cases

• 193 cases of chloracne occurred in Seveso, Italy in 1976 following the Seveso disaster in which several kilograms of TCDD were released into the atmosphere.

• Hundreds of individuals suffered chloracne after chronic exposure to PCBs and PCDFs in central Taiwan in 1979.

• Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko suffered from extremely prominent facial chloracne after being diagnosed with dioxin poisoning in late 2004. His diagnosis of chloracne was put forth by prominent toxicologist John Henry.

Seveso is an Italian town and comune of 19,872 inhabitants situated in the Province of Milan, in the Region of Lombardy. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Seveso disaster was an industrial accident that occurred in Seveso, Italy on July 10, 1976 in a small chemical manufacturing plant of ICMESA. During the production of 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, a herbicide, fungicide, and chemical intermediate, an uncontrolled reaction occurred and the chemical reactor ruptured. ... TCDD may refer to any of the following: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin — a type of dioxin. ... PCB may refer to: Brazilian Communist Party (in Portuguese, Partido Comunista Brasileiro) Communist Party of Bolivia (in Spanish, Partido Comunista de Bolivia) Pakistan Cricket Board PCBoard, a bulletin board system software Police Complaints Board, which oversaw the system for handling complaints made against police forces in England and Wales until... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko (Ukrainian: Віктор Андрійович Ющенко) (born 23 February 1954) is the President of Ukraine. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Henry is a professor specializing in toxicology in the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, at St Marys Hospital. ...

See also

• Dioxin
• Neal Stephenson's novel Zodiac discusses the effects of chloracne.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Neal Stephenson (b. ... Zodiac (1988) is Neal Stephensons second novel, which tells the story of an environmentalist uncovering a conspiracy involving industrialist pollutors and bicameral minded Satanists in the Boston Harbor. ...

References

[1] Williams, D.E.; Wolfe, W.H.; Lustik, M.B. et al. (1995). An Epidemiologic Investigation of Health Effects in Air Force Personnel Following Exposure to Herbicides. Vol. 4.

[2] De Marchia, B, and Ravetzb, J.R. (1999). Risk management and governance: a post-normal science approach. Futures 31:743–757.

[3] Moses, M. et al. (1984). American Journal of Industrial Medicine 5(3):161-82.

External links

• Chloracne
• Agent Orange Brief D2