THIS paper is written because we feel that the importance of cheese mite dermatitis has been long overlooked and the disease has been long unrecognized by American dermatologists. As far as can be ascertained, this is the first reported case of cheese mite dermatitis of American origin and of mite dermatitis from American-made cheeses.
REPORT OF A CASE
B. B., aged 32 and a white sturdy light complexioned man, was seen in October 1945, complaining of an itching eruption of the arms and area about the waist, of two weeks' duration. He was a worker in a wholesale food distributing plant. The day prior to the onset of his rash he lifted and carried large blackcoated "wheels" of Romano cheese, holding the cheese in his arms against his abdomen and chest. He had worn a loosely knit sweater and no shirt or underclothing and had perspired considerably.Physical examination revealed