Improvement in ideal antibiotic usage after implementation of a penicillin allergy testing program

Abstract

Prophylactic antibiotics for Group B Strep (GBS) and cesarean section are used in over 50% of obstetric patients at delivery. Standard of care antibiotics are penicillin for GBS and cefazolin for cesarean section. Utilization of alternative antibiotics in the setting of penicillin allergy for either condition is suboptimal. We sought to determine if a penicillin allergy skin testing program would improve the use of ideal as well as appropriate antibiotics in patients with a penicillin allergy.