Be Careful With Penicillin
Penicillin antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed medication to treat drug allergies. Although the usual allergic reaction to penicillin is a rash, severe anaphylactic reactions also occur, and are believed to result in an estimated 400 to 800 deaths annually. If you are allergic to penicillin, avoid taking it or any antibiotics that are closely related to it.
Some examples of types of penicillin are amoxicillin, ampicillin and bacampicillin.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Feb. 14, 2000 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Monday February 14, 2000 Home Edition Health Part S Page 3 View Desk 1 inches; 25 words Type of Material: Correction
Penicillin--The Our Health column on Feb. 7 should have stated that penicillin antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed medications to cause--not treat--drug allergies.
Also be cautious of a group of related antibiotics called cephalosporins, as some people who are allergic to penicillin can react to cephalosporins as well.
Some examples of cephalosporins are cefaclor, cefadroxil, ceftibuten and cephalexin.