CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Have you ever been told you're allergic to penicillin? It's a popular antibiotic that's been around for almost a hundred years. But is this allergy less common than people may think?
Penicillin is a common drug that's used a lot in medicine today. The drug was discovered in 1928, and it is still used to fight infections caused by bacteria, like ear infections, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and more.
However, a significant percentage of patients report being allergic to penicillin. Is it common to be allergic to the antibiotic?
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According to Yale Medicine, within an hour of taking penicillin, an allergic reaction can occur, like rash or hives, tightness in the throat, or difficulty breathing.
There are tests you can take to see if you are actually allergic to this antibiotic.
The CDC said in the U.S., 10% of the population reports having an allergic reaction to penicillin.
However, when researchers further evaluated patients who reported a penicillin allergy, they found fewer than 1% of the population is actually allergic to penicillin.
"Antibiotics often tend to be overprescribed, and when you prescribe a medication for a viral infection that does not require an antibiotic, sometimes you can get a rash from that, so it's not actually a rash from it but a rash from the virus," Robinson said.
"What we know from our guidelines and our allergy literature is that greater than 90 to 95% of these patients have a listed allergy; when they come in for an evaluation, we find that they can tolerate penicillin," Sha said.
Also, according to the CDC, 80% of patients with a penicillin allergy lose their sensitivity to the drug after ten years. That's why Sha said it's always good to test.
"Penicillin is probably one of the most common antibiotics used, and it’s a first-line treatment for many different types of infections," Sha said.
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Though both doctors say it's rare, it's always good to be on the lookout for any side effects of the medications you're taking and contact your doctor right away if you suspect an adverse reaction.
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