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Amoxicillin‐induced exanthema in young adults with infectious mononucleosis: demonstration of drug‐specific lymphocyte reactivity
Author(s) -
Renn C.N.,
Straff W.,
Dorfmüller A.,
AlMasaoudi T.,
Merk H.F.,
Sachs B.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.05021.x
Subject(s) - mononucleosis , amoxicillin , medicine , immunology , sensitization , ampicillin , allergy , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , virus
SummaryBackground Teenagers and young adults frequently develop maculopapular exanthema following amoxicillin intake within infectious mononucleosis. The underlying pathomechanisms are still largely unknown. Objectives To investigate whether amoxicillin‐induced exanthema in florid infectious mononucleosis is a disease‐associated phenomenon or results from specific sensitization to the drug. Methods Four patients with amoxicillin‐induced exanthema within infectious mononucleosis were analysedin vivoby prick, intradermal and patch tests andin vitro by means of the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) employing amoxicillin, ampicillin, benzylpenicillin and phenoxymethylpenicillin. Results Drug‐specific sensitization to amoxicillin in the LTT was observed in three patients, two of whom showed a side‐chain‐specific sensitization to amoxicillin and ampicillin. Thein vitroresults were confirmedin vivo by skin tests. Conclusions These data suggest that real sensitization to amoxicillin and ampicillin may occur within infectious mononucleosis and may be detectedin vivoandin vitro by means of skin tests and the LTT.