Penicillin and cephalosporin immunogenicity in man.
Whether cross-allergenicity exists between the penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics is controversial. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay was adapted to detect drug-specific IgG, IgM and IgE antibodies. Penicillin and cephalothin-specific serum immunoglobulins were determined in patients' serum before and after a therapeutic course of sodium cephalothin. Changes in IgG, IgM and IgE antipenicillin and anticephalothin antibodies, respectively, occurred and were closely correlated to one another (r = 0.80--0.99, p less than 0.0005), indicating that antibody responses to penicillin and cephalothin were linked. This in vitro assay system should prove useful for further study of clinical drug allergies.
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000276:immunology*; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010406:Penicillins / Q000276:immunology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology
D002511:Cephalosporins; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010406:Penicillins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D002512:Cephalothin