Phototoxic contact dermatitis with toxic hepatitis due to the percutaneous absorption of paraquat.

This article presents a medical case of a 65-year-old agricultural worker, who had to handle fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, diesel oil etc as part of his occupation. After using the herbicide Dipiril (20% aqueous solution of paraquat, he developed intense pruritus of sun-exposed areas of the face, neck, forearms and hands. Later on papules appeared in the same areas. These worsened greatly when in the sun. The patient was treated with topical corticosteroids and antihistamines with little improvement. When patch tested, the patient showed a bullous reaction to paraquat at 4 days, which suggested that reaction was phototoxic rather than photoallergic.