Background: Approximately 5-10% of the US population reports a Penicillin (PCN) allergy. Only 1 in 10 of these patients are found to have a positive reaction to PCN. This label comes at a grave cost, with higher incidences of multidrug-resistant nosocomial infections reported among these patients. With the lack of novel antibiotics and the alarming [...]

Background: Approximately 5-10% of the US population reports a Penicillin (PCN) allergy. Only 1 in 10 of these patients are found to have a positive reaction to PCN. This label comes at a grave cost, with higher incidences of multidrug-resistant nosocomial infections reported among these patients. With the lack of novel antibiotics and the alarming [...]

Background: Penicillin discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming, beginning of the antibiotic revolution. Penicillin as helped increase average life Span in USA from 47 years to 78.8 years. Beta lactam account to about 40% of total antibiotic use every year. 10% of patients in U.S. report penicillin allergy, but 9 out of 10 patients [...]

Background: Pregnant patients labeled with a penicillin allergy (PcnA) and charted as Group B streptococcus (GBS) positive can spread this infection to their baby during a vaginal delivery resulting in serious illness for their newborns. GBS is the most common cause of infectious morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period during the first week of [...]

Background: An average of 10% of patients in the U.S. report having a penicillin allergy yet the Centers for Disease Control estimates that less than 1% of the population are truly allergic. It is well described in adult literature that broad spectrum antibiotics are often used as penicillin alternatives and this may contribute to negative [...]

Background: In the United States, 32 million people have a documented penicillin allergy and up to 20% of hospitalized patients’ records describe a penicillin allergy (PcnA). Less than 10% of patients with reported penicillin allergy have true clinically relevant PcnA when objectively tested through rigorous skin testing (1-3). Clinicians subsequently avoid appropriate penicillin or penicillin [...]

Background: Penicillin class antibiotics are the most frequently reported drug allergy in the electronic health record (EHR), but recent studies find

Background: Self-reported penicillin (PCN) allergy affects 7-10% of the community population and affects almost 20% of hospitalized patients nationally [1,2]. Mislabeling of side effects (gastrointestinal symptoms) or coincidental events (headache) as a true allergic reaction (IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity) contributes largely to statistics. In recent studies, the rate of positive skin test results to PCN [...]

Case Presentation: This is a 21 year old male with no significant past medical history presenting with shortness of breath and fever.  Five days prior to presentation, he noted sore throat, fevers, and heart burn so he presented to an acute care clinic. He had a positive rapid strep screen, so he was given azithromycin [...]

Case Presentation: A 54-year-old female with no significant past medical history presented with lip swelling and shortness of breath following shellfish ingestion. She denied chest pain. Due to concern for angioedema, she received intramuscular epinephrine, intravenous methylprednisolone, diphenhydramine and famotidine. A 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed 2 mm ST segment elevation in leads II, III and aVF [...]