Occupational contact urticaria from paprika.

The article focuses on occupational contact urticaria from paprika. Paprika is the dry powder of capsicum annuum var. longum, an annual or biennal plant, belonging to the solanaceae family. Immediate allergy to spices can induce symptoms in the skin, mouth, naso-pharynx and gastrointestinal tract and can also be responsible for anaphylaxis. Positive prick tests to spices are more common among atopic patients, especially those with birch and mugwort pollen allergy. This spice contains capsaicin, which on skin contact can induce irritation, erythema and burning pain.