Penicillin sensitivity among hospital nurses without a history of penicillin allergy.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports a study to document the prevalence of penicillin sensitivity among nurses who had no previous history of sensitivity and worked in an inner city hospital in Turkey.


BACKGROUND
Frequent and prolonged exposure to any drug including penicillin may increase the risk of hypersensitivity to these drugs. Local administration of drugs increases the likelihood of sensitization. Nurses are the main group of healthcare workers who prepare and administer antibiotics to patients, so they may be at highest risk for sensitization. Skin testing with major and minor determinants of penicillin has proved useful for identifying penicillin-specific IgE antibodies in sensitized individuals.


METHODS
Skin prick tests were performed with benzyl penicilloyl polylysine (PPL) and a mixture of minor antigenic determinants (MDM) solution with 83 nurses who had been handling beta-lactam antibiotics. The study was conducted in 2004.


RESULTS
Ten nurses (12%) had positive skin reactions to penicillin antigens. Six were sensitive to PPL (7 x 2%) and four were sensitive to MDM (4 x 8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Occult sensitization to beta-lactam antibiotics, without symptoms, may develop in hospital nurses. It is possible that these healthcare workers might be at increased risk of hypersensitivity reactions should they be exposed to beta-lactams, administered for therapeutic purposes. Further research is needed to explore this important issue.
Cetinkaya
Feyzullah
F
Department of Pediatrics and Allergy, Sisli Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. feyzulkaya@mynet.com
Ozturk
Ali Osman
AO
Kutluk
Gunsel
G
Erdem
Ela
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D036262:Empirical Research; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010406:Penicillins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000009:adverse effects
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D047090:beta-Lactams