title: Drugs as important factors causing allergies.
abstract: Medications can cause many adverse reactions, both non-immunologic and immunologic ones. Allergies can take many forms, allergic reactions include all types of reactions according to Gell and Coombs. Typically, allergic reactions to drugs are manifested by skin lesions such as maculopapular rash or urticaria and life-threatening systemic reactions such as anaphylaxis. Allergy to drugs is diagnosed based on medical history and a number of specific tests: skin tests, blood tests. In diagnosing the causes of anaphylaxis, the basophil activation test is used to exclude false negative and false positive results of skin tests and specific IgE levels. Allergic reactions to medications usually resolve themselves after discontinuation of the drug. Sometimes in the treatment anti-allergic drugs are used to inhibit the development of skin lesions. After observing any signs of drug allergy it is important to accurately diagnose the cause, since the subsequent exposure to the drug may lead to a strong anaphylactic reaction and consequently death.
authors.affiliation: Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, Biala Podlaska, Poland. Rector of the School: Prof. Józef Bergier.
authors.forename: Wioletta A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Żukiewicz-Sobczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology and Environmental Hazards, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland. Head of the Department: Wioletta A. Żukiewicz-Sobczak PhD.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wróblewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology and Environmental Hazards, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland. Head of the Department: Wioletta A. Żukiewicz-Sobczak PhD.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adamczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology and Environmental Hazards, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland. Head of the Department: Wioletta A. Żukiewicz-Sobczak PhD.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwoliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Monika Waksmundzka-Hajnos.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oniszczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Jerzy Marcinkowski MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wojtyła-Buciora
authors.affiliation: Greater Allergy and Dermatology Center "Art Clinic", Poznan, Poland. Head of the Department: Paweł Silny MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Silny
keywords: allergic diseases; allergy; antibiotics; drugs