Antibiotic resistance awareness

When antibiotics are used too often or incorrectly, bacteria adapt and become resistant. This process can lead to “superbugs” - bacteria that are harder to treat, requiring stronger or more complex antibiotics, which often come with more side effects and longer recovery times. Antibiotic resistance is happening worldwide, and it’s one of the most significant threats to public health.

Penicillin is a commonly used antibiotic, and many people who take it experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, but these should not be mistaken for allergy.

Did you know that:

• Having a penicillin allergy label increases your risks from infections
• 6% of the UK population have a penicillin allergy label, but it is false in over 90% of these when tested
• It is estimated that over 5 million people in the UK are incorrectly labelled as having a penicillin allergy. This group unnecessarily miss out on the best and safest treatments for common infections and have an increased risk of complex hospital admissions, severe infections, and death
• Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels (PALs) can lead to the unnecessary prescription of alternative antibiotics, which can increase the risk of AMR

What are Penicillins?

Penicillin-based antibiotics include: Amoxicillin, Flucloxacillin, Phenoxymethylpenicillin, they are the best and safest antibiotics for a range of common bacterial infections.

What Is Penicillin Allergy and How Common Is It?

Around 1 in 10 of the UK population (6.6 million people) are currently labelled as having a penicillin allergy. However, research suggests that over 5 million of these people are not truly allergic.

True penicillin allergy causes a range of symptoms. In most cases these are non-severe and might include localised rashes or hives that appear over an hour after taking penicillin. In rare cases, these symptoms are severe and can include breathlessness, wheezing, lip/tongue swelling and collapse. The vast majority of people labelled as having a penicillin allergy will have had none of these symptoms.

How Might Someone Be Incorrectly Labelled as Penicillin Allergic?

• Many people are told that they had a reaction to penicillin as a child. This was often a rash, which was likely caused by a viral infection as opposed to an allergy or drug reaction.
• Many people have experienced gastrointestinal/neurological symptoms (diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion) or secondary infections (e.g. thrush, C.diff colitis) after taking penicillin. These symptoms are common to all types of antibiotics and do not represent an allergy.

What Are the Risks Of Being Labelled Penicillin Allergic?

Research shows that people with a documented penicillin allergy (true or not) have worse healthcare outcomes when compared to the general population. These include:

• Longer hospital stays
• Higher chance of hospital readmission
• Increased risk of surgical wound infection
• Increased risk of severe infections such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Increased risk of intensive care admission
• Increased risk of death

What Can I Do About It?

If you have been incorrectly labelled as having a penicillin allergy, then you are missing out on the best and safest treatments for common bacterial infections and are unnecessarily subject to the above risks.

If you currently think you have a penicillin allergy label but feel that this might not be accurate, then please contact your GP to discuss this.

The health and safety of children in our community is our highest priority, and this Antibiotic Resistance Week, we're asking for your help. Let's work together to ensure antibiotics remain a powerful tool for those who genuinely need them.

Making careful choices about how allergies are labelled and when antibiotics are prescribed will protect future generations and keep our children healthy.

For more information visit: Antibiotic resistance