Ampicillin, and its first cousin amoxicillin, are two of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Children are given these safe and effective medicines for infections of their ears, throats, and lungs. Both drugs are in the same family as penicillin.
One concern with prescribing any drug is the possibility of a serious reaction. Ampicillin is one of the most common drugs to cause a rash. Approximately eight percent of people who use ampicillin develop a rash. But is everyone who develops a rash after taking ampicillin truly allergic to it?
There are two categories of rashes that may occur after taking ampicillin: nonhypersensitivity rash and true hypersensitivity or allergic rash. Trying to determine the type of rash is important. If your child has a nonhypersensitivity rash it's safe for her to take ampicillin and related drugs in the future. If the rash is truly allergic in nature, then she should avoid those drugs. The table lists the characteristics of these two types of rashes.
Nonhypersensitivity rashes are more common in females than males. There is a dose relationship: the higher the daily total dosage of the drug, the greater the chances a rash will develop. There is also a relationship between the use of ampicillin, the presence of a viral illness, and the development of a nonhypersensitivity rash. For example, up to 95% of people with infectious mononucleosis who take ampicillin will develop a nonhypersensitivity rash. This is true for other viral infections such as cytomegalovirus and others.
It's important for you and your child's doctor to determine which type of rash your child has. A true hypersensitivity reaction may be life threatening, while a nonhypersensitivity rash is only an annoyance.
Archieves of Family Medicine, 5/96, pp. 301-4.
COPYRIGHT 1995 Pediatrics for Parents, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
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