Drug Allergy, Antibiotic Allergy, Anaesthetic Allergy

Dr Du Toit has a special interest in drug allergy. The investigation of drug allergy can be a challenging and potentially risky task and is best performed by centres with specialised skills.    Common drug allergies include those which arise due to antibiotics, pain killers, local - and general - anaesthetic agents.   The incidence of adverse reactions to drugs of the overall population is estimated to be around 15%. Numerous immune mechanisms are implicated in drug allergy and the incidence of immediate drug reactions (Type I) seems to be very low in comparison with allergy to more common allergens such as pollens and pets. The incidence of allergy to penicillins is 1/1000 administrations, i.e. 0.7 to 10% of treatments.    Antibiotic Allergy: Only a minority of individuals 'labelled' as being antibiotic allergic are truly allergic to antibiotics. The index rash experienced is usually caused by the viral illness for which the antibiotics were prescribed.    A detailed history is required of the nature and timing of the rash in relation to taking the antibiotics. Please bring along as much clinical information as possible, for example, a copy of anaesthetic charts or antibiotics used in the past.   Investigations: TDL Lab allergy blood tests will be performed, depending on the drug. A further Skin Test may be required to confirm or refute the diagnosis of a particular drug allergy. A decision will then be made wrt performing a supervised oral incremental challenge to the specific Antibiotic.    If a drug allergy is established, Dr Du Toit attempts to identify alternative medications for use in the future.       Updated Aug 2011