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Antibiotic Allergies-common?

  • 22-05-2009 3:07pm
    #1
    dragona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭


    How common is it to be allergic to say 3 types (families) of antibiotics? For example,ALL penicillins, ALL quinolones etc?

    And is there any one type of antibiotic that has the least probability of causing an allergic reaction?:confused:


Comments

  • #2
    angeldelight
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭angeldelight


    The only one I have seen allergies to in practice are the penicillins - and if you are allergic to one penicillin you will be allergic to them all due to the common structure in all penicillins. Also there's approximately 10% cross-sensitivity between penicillins and cephalosporins due to their structural similarities i.e. if you have an allergic reaction to penicillins you have a 10% chance of being allergic to penicillin.

    Actually had someone in last week who broke out in hives using clarithromycin, but in general I think antibiotic allergies aren't that common in the community setting


  • #3
    drzhivago
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 926 ✭✭✭drzhivago


    dragona wrote: »
    How common is it to be allergic to say 3 types (families) of antibiotics? For example,ALL penicillins, ALL quinolones etc?

    And is there any one type of antibiotic that has the least probability of causing an allergic reaction?:confused:

    True allergy rare

    Many patients say they are allergic when they may have felt unwell, vomitted or had a viral rash at the same time as they were prescribed a course of antibiotics

    When people tell me they are I usually ask them when it was and what happened, if they dont know I ask them to get it tested as it is of benefit to them in the long run to know they are or are not

    I have a family member who is diabetic, wears a medic alert necklace (couldnt tolerate the bracelet with work). i have yet to see a single patient who claims to be allergic wearing one, when I explain the consequences of not wearing it and getting the antibiotic while they are unconscious after an accident or even in a country where they cant explain in the native language about the allergy they seem upset that someone has never mentioned this before, at that stage I am reasonably confident that most are not true allergies as it would have been followed up

    Have only seen one true anaphylactic reaction where patient was given the drug in hospital that they were allergic to


  • #4
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭tallaght01


    dragona wrote: »
    How common is it to be allergic to say 3 types (families) of antibiotics? For example,ALL penicillins, ALL quinolones etc?

    And is there any one type of antibiotic that has the least probability of causing an allergic reaction?:confused:

    I suspect this is a veiled question about your own medical situation :P


This discussion has been closed.
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