Fatal Anaphylaxis Due to Oral Penicillin

Abstract

This fourth reported death from anaphylaxis due to oral penicillin occurred in a 23-year-old postpartum Negro woman with no allergic history after she had taken one 400,000-unit tablet of potassium penicillin G. Autopsy disclosed periorbital and circumoral edema, pulmonary atelectasis, submucosal bronchial edema, bronchial mucous plugs, and visceral congestion. Serum obtained postmortem had moderately strong 7S and 19S IgG hemaggltitinating antibodies to penicillin.