Background: With increasing industrialization, the construction industry provides employment to a large number of skilled and nonskilled workers, many of them migrant workers. Aim: This study was undertaken to provide epidemiological data regarding various dermatoses among migrant construction workers in India as currently there is a paucity of the same. Methods: One thousand construction workers, including 467 migrant laborers, were examined for various dermatoses. Results: Most (88%) workers were males and 51.17% were in their third decade. Infective and noninfective dermatoses were seen in 89.72% and 53.74% of laborers respectively. Among infective dermatoses, fungal infections were the most common (46.25%) ones, followed by bacterial infections (24.83%), scabies (8.56%) and viral infections (6.42%). Contact dermatitis to cement was seen in 12.48% of the laborers. Masons had a significantly higher incidence of contact dermatitis to cement, viral infections and scabies than helpers. Conclusions: The pattern of dermatoses is an expression of poverty, overcrowding and the occupational hazards of the construction industry.

contact dermatitis Migrant workers Dermatoses

virus infection India building industry poverty contact dermatitis construction work skin disease human middle aged controlled study Skin Diseases cement Construction Materials hygiene migrant worker Humans Adolescent male female occupational exposure Incidence Article scabies bacterial infection adult Transients and Migrants Physical Examination Crowding occupational hazard