According to one study, 94 percent of 384 people who believed they were allergic to penicillin tested negative for a penicillin allergy.
“They may have had an unfavorable response to penicillin at some point in the past, such as hives or swelling, but they did not demonstrate any evidence of penicillin allergy at the current time,” said allergist Thanai Pongdee, MD, the study’s lead author.
The findings are significant because people with penicillin allergies are often given different antibiotics before undergoing surgery, which may be more toxic and expensive and not as effective, according to the study.
More articles on antibiotics:
Physicians prescribe more antibiotics at the end of the day, study finds
The current state of antibiotic resistance: A cautionary tale
Topical antibiotics linked to increased pneumonia rates
