Penicillin allergy: symptoms, causes, treatment

Penicillin is one of the most common and readily available drugs. This is partly why penicillin allergy and side effects from this drug have become common throughout the world.

Causes of an allergic reaction

It is known that the penicillin molecule is small and therefore is not capable of causing negative reactions from the immune system. It can provoke the development of allergies only if it binds to the proteins of the body. Frequent treatment with this antibiotic can lead to sensitization in both the child and the adult. Therefore, penicillin allergy is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. However, it is not only the uncontrolled intake of the drug that is to blame for this, but also its use in the food industry.

1. Penicillin is used to treat food to increase its shelf life.
2. Antibiotics are part of the compound feeds that are given to cattle. Some of them remain in the meat and milk of animals.

1. Penicillin is used to make some vaccines with attenuated pathogens.
2. Allergy to penicillin in infants may be associated with prolonged use of the medication by a nursing mother.
3. In some people, an allergic reaction is attributed to constant exposure to an antibiotic at work.

Excipients that make up medicines - preservatives and stabilizers - can cause unpleasant symptoms. The risk of developing side effects and allergies increases if a person has liver or kidney pathologies. Children are especially susceptible to penicillin allergy, since the child's metabolism of drugs is slow.

Even a single use of penicillin by a pregnant woman leads to fetal sensitization, since this antibiotic crosses the placental barrier well. As a result, the first use of a drug with penicillin causes the child to develop allergies. For this reason, penicillin antibiotics are prescribed to pregnant women only in extreme cases.

Signs of a penicillin allergy

The symptoms of penicillin allergy are extremely varied. An immediate allergic reaction develops within an hour after drug administration and manifests itself severely - Quincke's edema, urticaria, broncho- or laryngospasm, as well as anaphylactic shock. The symptoms are as follows:

• enlargement of lips, cheeks, face, hands and feet due to fluid accumulation;
• stomach ache;
• hoarseness of voice;
• difficulty swallowing
• rashes in the form of pinkish blisters, slightly rising above the surface of the skin;
• dry cough, difficulty breathing, choking feeling.

A delayed allergy to penicillin develops 1 to 3 days after taking the medication. Its symptoms can be represented by rashes on the skin in the form of small nodules and spots or blisters with transparent contents inside, as well as disturbances in the processes of hematopoiesis. If symptoms appear after 3 days or more, then we can talk about late allergy to penicillin. It is manifested by small-point rashes, skin itching and redness of the skin, it is also possible the appearance of soreness, induration and swelling at the injection site.

Much less often, penicillin can cause serious liver and kidney damage. Some people on the background of treatment with penicillin may experience symptoms of rhinitis and conjunctivitis: runny nose, nasal congestion, watery eyes, itching and burning eyes.

Allergies should not be confused with side effects, since the principles of treating such pathological conditions are somewhat different. Adverse reactions from the use of penicillin antibiotics include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, candidiasis (thrush).

Treatment of an allergic reaction

If you suspect an allergy to penicillin, you should immediately stop taking the medication. To rid the body of the formed allergens, you should drink a sufficient amount of liquid, follow a hypoallergenic diet, take enterosorbents ("Carbosphere", "Enterodez", "Mikoton"). If necessary, infusion therapy and a cleansing enema are carried out, diuretics are prescribed ("Lasix", "Arifon").

Mild forms of allergy to penicillin are treated with systemic antihistamines (Suprastin, Loratadin, Zyrtec). As a local treatment, creams, ointments and gels with various active ingredients are used:

• antihistamines (Fenistil-gel, Soventol);
• anti-inflammatory ("Bepanten", "Videstim");
• hormonal ("Lorinden S", "Cloveit").

If the allergy to penicillin is severe, it becomes necessary to use drugs that have many side effects: systemic and topical corticosteroids, adrenaline. The course of their use is short, and the dosages are determined on an individual basis.

Prevention of penicillin allergy

To reduce the chances of developing an allergy to penicillin, you need to treat its use with great caution. Despite the free sale of such drugs in pharmacies, you should definitely consult a doctor before using them. It is unacceptable to take antibiotics as a prophylaxis for infectious diseases, unless there are serious indications for that.

Be careful when choosing food, try to buy products from trusted manufacturers. Purchase meat from private suppliers only if you are completely sure of its quality and safety. Before eating, it is advisable to cook the meat for 10 - 15 minutes so that all foreign substances remain in the broth. Don't miss the opportunity to stock up on seasonal vegetables and fruits.

When trying to substitute another drug for penicillin, be aware of the cross-reaction. If a person is allergic to this antibiotic, then there is a high probability of developing a negative reaction to drugs that contain the following active substances:

• any natural penicillins;
• semi-synthetic penicillins (methicillin, oxacillin, nafcillin);
• aminopenicillins (ampicillin, amoxicillin);
• azlocillin, mezlocillin, mecillam;
• cephalosporins.

Thus, if you replace a drug with penicillin with a drug containing the listed antibiotics, unpleasant symptoms may still appear. However, allergy to ampicillin is often much easier. The introduction of ampicillin and amoxicillin is accompanied by a rash in about 5-10% of allergy sufferers. Such symptoms usually do not pose any danger to life, but if the rash is represented by hives, you need to see a doctor again.

If you are allergic to penicillin, aztreonam becomes the drug of choice, since it rarely gives cross-reactions. Amoxiclav in case of allergy to penicillin causes cross-reactions quite often, because this combined drug consists of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.

Note that antibacterial agents contain topical agents. If you are allergic to penicillin, the use of certain ointments, eye and nasal drops is contraindicated, so carefully study the composition of such medicines before using them. In childhood, allergic reactions are often transient and therefore disappear on their own after some time.

The choice of alternative antibiotics is best left to a specialist. Before prescribing the drug, he will conduct skin tests and determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to various antibiotics. Some diseases require treatment exclusively with penicillin drugs (for example, streptococcal endocarditis), so careful desensitization is necessary. This procedure can be carried out in several ways.