Protein contact dermatitis (PCD) is according to contemporary views a chronic relapsing eczema in response to proteins which develops as a result of a combined early and late type of immunoallergic sensitivity. It affects atopic and non-atopic subjects, the domaine is above all food allergy and the hand (forearm). In the diagnosis of PCD above all major suspicion of exposure, the clinical picture, skin tests for early allergy are important (scratch, scratch-patch tests, prick-tests, i.c. tests) supplemented by specific IgE. Simple patch tests produce almost always false negative reactions and may be the source of major diagnostic errors: normal values of specific IgE do not rule out immune reactivity either. Definition (and knowledge) of this subtype in the group of contact eczema is an important contribution to diagnosis in practice and to medical assessment as previously some patients with PCD (in particular of the hands) were not correctly diagnosed and classified. It is expedient to preserve the subtype of protein contact dermatitis as an itemin the mosaic of contact eczema.

        Key words: protein contact dermatitis - skin tests - IgE - contact eczema.