Delayed hypersensitivity to penicillin. Clinical significance and hyposensitization after therapy

Abstract

Delayed skin-test hypersensitivity to penicillin G potassium has been associated with the occurrence of exanthematous, erythrodermic, local indurative, and generalized pruritic adverse clinical reactions to therapeutic doses of penicillin. A pronounced regular decrease in delayed skin-test hypersensitivity to penicillin G followed the administration of therapeutic doses of penicillin. In about one half of the patients, the delayed hypersensitivity was, at least temporarily, completely abolished. Preliminary data suggest that with the doses of penicillin given to our patients the decrease in delayed hypersensitivity lasts for a period of a few weeks to about five months.