Allergic Reactions in Rheumatic Fever Patients on Long-term Benzathine Penicillin G: The Role of Skin Testing for Penicillin Allergy

Abstract

An injection of 1.2 million U benzathine penicillin G (BPG) every 3 or 4 weeks has proven by far to be the most effective method to prevent recurrences of acute rheumatic fever.1-3 The efficacy of this method of prophylaxis was first demonstrated more than 40 years ago, and since its introduction, it has played a major role in reducing the morbidity and mortality from rheumatic fever.4 Rheumatic fever causes 25% to 40% of all cardiovascular diseases in developing countries.5 Because of the impact of this disease on public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has helped establish programs for prevention of recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever in many developing countries.6 WHO recommends BPG as the prophylactic drug of choice. One of the problems encountered has been the high drop-out rates among patients enrolled in these programs. Among the reasons for discontinuing prophylaxis is the fear of an allergic reaction.7 The initial study using BPG for the prevention of recurrences of rheumatic fever in children and adolescents reported only 5 (1.2%) mild allergic reactions among 410 patients receiving monthly injections.1 Since then, although rheumatic fever prevention in the United States (U.S.) has consisted almost exclusively of using BPG, there been very few documented reports of serious allergic reactions in rheumatic fever patients on long-term prophylaxis. The only fatalities reported in the American literature occurred in four adults with advanced rheumatic heart disease.8,9 The salutary experience with BPG in the U.S. contrasts sharply with the numerous anecdotal reports of fatal allergic reactions to BPG in many developing countries.