[Penicillin allergy. Immunological bases in the diagnosis and prevention of acute reactions].

Drug alergy is always a risk in Therapeutics. Penicillin allergy although less frequent than usually though, is very important because sometimes is life threatening. Penicillin allergy is an immunological phenomenon, it is possible to use in vitro and in vivo procedures able to demonstrate individual ability to develop allergical reaction, in particular to predict such severe reactions like anaphilaxis. This paper review current concepts regarding immune mechanisms for Penicillin allergy and immunological testing useful in its study.