Antibiotic Allergy-clinical Relevance and Consequences

Antibiotic allergy is one of the most commonly encountered problems in clinical practice. The symptoms may range from mildly annoying to life threatening. Drug allergies can become a major problem for patients with the multiple drug allergy syndrome, and more so since the emergence of antibiotic resistant organisms often limits the choice of antibiotics that can be used. β-lactam antibiotics (penicillins and cephalosporins) are the most common causes of drug allergy, and also the best studied. This article reviews the management of patients with allergies to β-lactam antibiotics.