The Combined Use of Chronological and Morphological Criteria in the Evaluation of Immediate Penicillin Reactions: Evidence From a Large Study.

Background: Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to penicillins are often labeled on the basis of a similar set of symptoms, but a key feature of these reactions that can be reproduced in diagnostic testing may be the timing of a reaction in relation to the dose administration.

Objective: To determine whether the timing of a reaction in response to the last dose of a penicillin would predict the results of diagnostic testing.

Methods: We evaluated 1074 patients by performing skin tests, serum specific IgE assays (ImmunoCAP), and challenges.

Evaluating Immediate Reactions to Cephalosporins: Time Is of the Essence.

Background: Few studies have assessed the diagnostic value of cephalosporin skin tests in patients with immediate reactions to these β-lactams.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of skin tests and challenges in assessing such subjects.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 236 consecutive subjects who had suffered 249 immediate reactions (mostly anaphylaxis) to cephalosporins.

Tolerability of Cefazolin and Ceftibuten in Patients with IgE-Mediated Aminopenicillin Allergy.

Background: Side-chain similarities or identities constitute the predominant factor for cross-reactivity between penicillins and cephalosporins, whereas differences in the side-chain structure seem to account for the absence of such cross-reactivity.

Objective: We sought to assess the cross-reactivity between penicillins and 2 cephalosporins (ie, cefazolin and ceftibuten) that have side chains different from those of penicillins, as well as to evaluate the possibility of using these cephalosporins in penicillin-allergic subjects.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 131 consecutive subjects who had suffered 170 immediate reactions (mostly anaphylaxis) to penicillins and had positive skin test results to at least 1 penicillin reagent.

Cross-Reactivity and Tolerability of Cephalosporins in Patients with IgE-Mediated Hypersensitivity to Penicillins.

Background: Studies performed since 1990 on samples of at least 30 subjects with a documented IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to penicillins have found a rate of positive responses to allergy tests with cephalosporins ranging from 0% to 27%.

Objective: We sought to assess the cross-reactivity with cephalosporins and evaluate the possibility of using cephalosporins in penicillin-allergic subjects.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 252 consecutive subjects who had suffered 319 immediate reactions (mostly anaphylaxis) to penicillins and had positive skin tests to at least 1 penicillin reagent.

Cross-reactivity and tolerability of aztreonam and cephalosporins in subjects with a T cell-mediated hypersensitivity to penicillins.

Background: The few studies performed in adults with T cell-mediated hypersensitivity to penicillins have found a rate of cross-reactivity with cephalosporins ranging from 2.8% to 31.2% and an absence of cross-reactivity with aztreonam.

IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to cephalosporins: Cross-reactivity and tolerability of alternative cephalosporins.

Background: Studies regarding the cross-reactivity and tolerability of alternative cephalosporins in large samples of subjects with an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to cephalosporins are lacking.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the possibility of using alternative cephalosporins in subjects with cephalosporin allergy who especially require them.

Methods: One hundred two subjects with immediate reactions to cephalosporins and positive skin test results to the responsible drugs underwent serum specific IgE assays with cefaclor and skin tests with different cephalosporins.

Natural evolution of skin-test sensitivity in patients with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to cephalosporins.

There are studies demonstrating that skin-test sensitivity to penicillins can decrease over time and that allergic patients may lose sensitivity if the responsible compounds are avoided. With regard to subjects with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to cephalosporins, however, such studies are lacking. We evaluated prospectively in a 5-year follow-up 72 cephalosporin-allergic patients.

Absence of cross-reactivity to carbapenems in patients with delayed hypersensitivity to penicillins.

Studies performed on subjects with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to penicillins have demonstrated a 1% rate of cross-reactivity between penicillins and both imipenem and meropenem, while a single study found a 5.5% rate of cross-reactivity with imipenem/cilastatin in subjects with T-cell-mediated hypersensitivity to β-lactams, mostly penicillins. We studied 204 consecutive subjects with a well-demonstrated T-cell-mediated hypersensitivity to assess the cross-reactivity with carbapenems and the tolerability of such alternative β-lactams.

Clinical management of patients with a history of urticaria/angioedema induced by multiple NSAIDs: an expert panel review.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represent one of the most frequent causes of drug-induced urticaria/angioedema worldwide. Recent review articles have classified patients experiencing NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema into different categories, including single reactors, multiple reactors, and multiple reactors with underlying chronic urticaria. Each of these categories requires a different clinical approach.

Cross-sectional survey on immunoglobulin E reactivity in 23,077 subjects using an allergenic molecule-based microarray detection system.

Background: The availability of allergenic molecules and high-throughput microtechnologies allow the collection of a large number of IgE results at the same time in a single test. This can be carried out applying the test in the routine diagnostic work-up.

Objective: The aim of this study was to make a cross-sectional evaluation of the raw prevalence of IgE reactivity to allergenic molecules in serum samples from a cohort of Italian patients using an innovative tool.

Lipid transfer protein (Ara h 9) as a new peanut allergen relevant for a Mediterranean allergic population.

Background: Nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) represent potent pollen and food allergens. However, the allergenic properties of peanut LTP have not been studied.

Objective: To identify LTP in peanut extract using sera from subjects with peanut allergy and Pru p 3-sensitized subjects from Southern Europe, clone and express this protein, and obtain information on the importance as allergen for these selected patients.

Kinetic and redox properties of MnP II, a major manganese peroxidase isoenzyme from Panus tigrinus CBS 577.79.

A manganese peroxidase (MnP) isoenzyme from Panus tigrinus CBS 577.79 was produced in a benchtop stirred-tank reactor and purified to apparent homogeneity. The purification scheme involving ultrafiltration, affinity chromatography on concanavalin-A Sepharose, and gel filtration led to a purified MnP, termed "MnP II," with a specific activity of 288 IU mg(-1) protein and a final yield of 22%.

Cross-reactive reactions to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most frequent causes of adverse drug reactions, particularly in patients with asthma and chronic idiophatic urticaria. Many subjects report cutaneous and/or respiratory symptoms and, less frequently, anaphylactic shock after the administration of one (single-reactors) or different (cross-reactors) drugs of this class.

Diagnosis: There are no reliable cutaneous or in vitro tests which allow NSAID hypersensitivity to be identified in patients with cross-reactive reactions; therefore, the challenge test is considered the "gold standard" for establishing or excluding a diagnosis of NSAID hypersensitivity in such patients.

Addition of allochthonous fungi to a historically contaminated soil affects both remediation efficiency and bacterial diversity.

Botryosphaeria rhodina DABAC P82 and Pleurotus pulmonarius CBS 664.97 were tested for their ability to grow and to degrade aromatic hydrocarbons in an aged contaminated soil. To evaluate the impact of indigenous microflora on the overall process, incubations were performed on both fumigated and nonfumigated soils.

Etoricoxib tolerability in patients with hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Background: Adverse reactions to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly observed, particularly among patients with chronic urticaria or asthma. The identification of a safe and reliable alternative is a frequent problem in clinical practice. Our aim was to investigate the clinical tolerability of etoricoxib, a new selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, in a group of patients with well-established NSAID hypersensitivity.

Production, purification and partial characterisation of a novel laccase from the white-rot fungus Panus tigrinus CBS 577.79.

Extracellular laccase from Panus tigrinus CBS 577.79 was produced in a bubble-column reactor using glucose-containing medium supplemented with 2,5-xylidine under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency. The main laccase isoenzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity by ultra-filtration, anion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration that led to a purified enzyme with a specific activity of 317 IU (mg protein)-1 and a final yield of 66%.

Enzyme and fungal treatments and a combination thereof reduce olive mill wastewater phytotoxicity on Zea mays L. seeds.

The phytotoxicity of olive-mill wastewater (OMW) has been suggested to be mainly due to its phenolic components. This study investigated the impact of three different low-cost dephenolization treatments on the wastewater phytotoxicity. To this aim, germinability of maize (Zea mays L.

Allergic reactions to antibiotics, mainly betalactams: facts and controversies.

Allergic reactions to antibiotics are commonly reported. They can be classified as immediate or non-immediate according to the time interval between the last drug administration and their onset. Immediate reactions occur within the first hour and are manifested clinically by urticaria and/or angioedema, rhinitis, bronchospasm, and anaphylactic shock; they may be mediated by specific IgE-antibodies.