Korsallergi mellan penicilliner och övriga betalaktamantibiotika. Risken är betydligt mindre än man tidigare trott
Sammanfattning
Severe IgE-mediated allergic reactions to penicillins are rare but might be fatal. Because some studies demonstrated a high risk
of cross-sensitivity to cephalosporins and carbapenems it has been recommended to avoid these antibiotics in patients with
suspected hypersensitivity to penicillins. However, recent studies and analyses conclude that the risk of cross-reactivity was
overestimated in the earlier studies and that it is in fact very low for parenteral cephalosporins and perhaps even negligible for
carbapenems. The new knowledge has implications for the choice of therapy for bacterial infections in patients with a history of
penicillin hypersensitivity, because alternative antibiotic regimens are often inferior to beta-lactam antibiotics. The aim of the present
review is to present existing knowledge on cross-sensitivity between beta-lactams, as well as to discuss the management of patients
with suspected allergic reactions to these antibiotics.