Hypersensitivity ceftriaxone

Table 1 An intravenous desensitization protocol for ceftriaxone hypersensitivity...

Diffuse pulmonary inflammation, as documented by gallium scanning in one case, was possibly caused by ceftriaxone (5). Cefotiam and in another case cefotiam followed by ceftazidime have been suspected to have caused pulmonary hypersensitivity (6,7). 

According to the authors, anaphylaxis after a single injection of ceftriaxone without previous exposure to the drug is very rare, and they referred to only one previous report (169). However, despite the fact that hypersensitivity could not be demonstrated by skin testing or the presence of ceftriaxone-specific IgE, the outcome of the challenge to ceftriaxone very clearly pointed to an anaphylactic reaction. 

Romano A, Piunti E, Di Fonso M, Viola M, Venuti A, Venemalm L. Selective immediate hypersensitivity to ceftriaxone. Allergy 2000 55(4) 415-16. 

Unit, Brigham and Women s Hospital, Boston, 15 patients completed 52 desensitizations, seven of which involved reactions. Six patients had limited symptoms of immediate hypersensitivity and one patient experienced acute respiratory failure to ceftazidime. Successful desensitizations were obtained with benzylpenicillin, nafcillin, cefazo-lin, and ceftriaxone. 

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