Penicillin is a common antibiotic used to treat many illnesses. When it was discovered it was considered a breakthrough in the treatment of illness and infection. It is derived from the penicillin mold, the blue-green mold found on moldy oranges. Before penicillin, common infections and diseases that are only a nuisance to us today were quite often fatal. For years penicillin was the only effective antibiotic treatment available for doctors to use. It is relatively cheap and easy to manufacture, making it the most often used antibiotic world wide.

Allergic reactions to penicillin can often be a serious and life threatening matter. They can range from annoying rashes to life threatening breathing difficulties. You might recall answering the question ” are you allergic to penicillin” on a medical question form at your doctors office or upon admittance to a hospital for treatment. This is because doctors must know if you are do to the potential for catastrophic results should you be given penicillin and you are allergic to it. Knowing if they are allergic to penicillin is something every person should know. Penicillin is the most common drug allergy.

It is unclear why some people have an allergic reaction to penicillin while others don’t. It is also unknown what predisposes one person with an allergy to penicillin to minor symptoms while another person allergic to it will experience life threatening symptoms. For those who are allergic to penicillin, the only treatment is not to use it. Fortunately there are other powerful antibiotics available to replace penicillin. Prior to their discovery, penicillin allergy could sometimes have grave consequences. It could leave doctors with their hands tied in treating the infection or disease.

Common symptoms of penicillin allergy are as follows. A rash or hives that can range from a minor rash to a dark red rash that covers large portions of the body. Swollen lips tongue and face, ranging from minor swelling to extreme swelling. Itchy, irritated eyes that can be bloodshot and watery. The most serious reaction happens in people that are highly allergic to penicillin. An anaphylactic reaction is a reaction that manifests itself as a swelling of the bronchial airway, making it difficult to breath. This can also be accompanied by a sudden drop in blood pressure, resulting in lightheadedness. This reaction can be deadly, so it’s important to be aware of this fact.

If you are given penicillin and experience any of these symptoms, tell your doctor immediately. It’s much better to be safe than sorry. The most serious reaction, the anaphylactic reaction, appears almost immediately. The other less minor reactions can take hours to appear. Treatments for the symptoms are readily available but as of yet there is no cure for the allergy itself. If your child has never been given penicillin it is imperative that you let your doctor know this. He or she can make a determination as to whether or not your child is allergic to it prior to administering a large dose of penicillin.

Article by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - information on health for you and your family. Read more about penicillin allergy.

Sent by Kimberly Thane

According to the Center for Disease Control, the fourth leading cause of death among Americans is due to hospital based infections. Why would infections play a part in hospital care when the US leads the world in technology and antibiotic use? The overuse of antibiotics may be one cause of overwhelming infection by antibiotic resistant bacteria.

In many hospitals, it is common practice for all operating room patients to receive prophylactic antibiotic therapy prior to surgery. Pediatrians will often prescribe antibiotics to children suffering from viral symptoms at the insistence of their parent’s inspite of the fact that antibiotics have no effect on viruses. It is not uncommon for patients to request an antibiotic for whatever ails them.

What causes infections in hospitals when the environment is supposed to clean and safe? Like a chapter out of Dickens, hospitals are historically filthy, regardless of the amount of cleaning and disinfecting taking place. The shear number of people present with their various diseases and aliments makes it next to impossible to keep the hard surfaces clean, let alone the soft; which includes mattresses, carpets, drapes, pillows, etc. One of the grossest things seen is carpeting in patient rooms.
Hand washing is the most important action that can be taken against nosicomial infection, yet it is the very thing lacking in many instances. Doctors going from patient to patient without washing their hands is as disgusting sounding as it is dangerous. Yet it happens continuously. Even the wearing of latex or vinyl gloves is not safe unless the wearer washes their hands in between changes.

Dust collection on shelves, stretchers, patient room furniture, etc, can be a source of disease. The operating room is a treasure trove of bacteria. Blood borne bacteria are prevalent. Quick turnover of cases can contribute to poor terminal cleaning of surfaces. Patients complained at one facility of blood from a previous case being present on the overhead spot lights.

Poor ventilation, improper cleaning, absence of hand washing and patient to patient contamination are all possible sources of bacteria infection.

By: Mark Ramirez

The FDA announced that the antibiotic Ketek which is used to treat pneumonia must come with a new “black box” warning. The warning comes after the medication has been linked through studies to cause substantial liver damage.

The drug has also been limited in the areas it is prescribed for. Ketek is no longer recommended to treat the two milder conditions sinusitis and bronchitis.

According to Dr. John Jenkins director of the Office of New Drugs at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, “The changes are designed to inform health-care providers and patients regarding the safe and effective use of Ketek consistent with advice received from advisory committees in December of last year, the changes are the result of a comprehensive analysis of available data regarding the benefits and risks of Ketek conducted by [FDA] team members.”

An article from Forbes.com states, “The drug and the related approval process have been dogged by criticism, however. Last June, Sanofi-Aventis agreed to update Ketek’s labeling to reflect the possibility of severe liver damage. And last month, a European Medicines Agency panel recommended that Ketek not be given to patients with a history of such liver conditions as hepatitis or jaundice.”

On top of all this, the makers Ketek, Sanofi-Aventis, are under investigation by the Senate Finance Committee for cases of fraud discovered during the approval trial as well as another trail filed by the House of Representatives sub committee investigating irregularities in the approval process.