A meta-analysis found that the global prevalence of reported penicillin allergy is 9.4% (ranging from 5-15%), as published in the Journal of Infection, however, much of the data could be skewed because it comes from high-income countries. Researchers analyzed 174 studies from 28 countries. Of those, 72% of the studies were conducted in the United States (95 studies), United Kingdom (18), and Australia (18). Even so, previous research has shown that 95% of people identified as having allergies actually can tolerate penicillin. Overall, the authors believe literature reporting penicillin allergy prevalence is too slanted toward high-income countries as well as secondary sites of care (eg, hospitals), rather than primary care where penicillin prescriptions are more likely to originate. The World Health Organization has recommended antibiotic allergy assessment as a key activity in global antimicrobial stewardship. Such “delabelling” of patient allergies has gained traction, and in-depth review of the baseline prevalence data to improve prescribing and reduce antimicrobial resistance is needed, according to the authors.
Asking more questions: Many patients in urgent care will communicate a self-reported allergy. Clinicians are unlikely to ignore that patient input, especially in urgent care where many encounters are with new, unfamiliar patients.
Learn More
- Conquering the Fear of Penicillin Allergy: The Boogeyman of Urgent Care
- Study: Antibiotic Stewardship Means Probing When Patients Say They’re Allergic to Penicillin
- The Cost of Fear