THE penicillin-group of antibiotics is widely used in the management of different infectious diseases.
However, penicillin is the most common cause of serious allergic drug reactions. Although the exact prevalence of allergic reactions to penicillin is unknown, allergic reactions are estimated to occur in approximately 2% of patients treated with penicillin courses. When a positive history of penicillin allergy is present, the risk of an allergic reaction approaches 15%.
