Characteristics of amoxicillin rash during the treatment of acute respiratory infection in patients with infectious mononucleosis

Sa？etak Ampicillin/amoxicillin rash is aminopenicillin-induced, generalized maculopapulose exanthema in patients undergoing aminopenicillin treatment with acute infectious mononucleosis induced by the Epstein-Barr virus. It is believed that this unique phenomenon occurs in 70-100% of patients with infectious mononucleosis treated with aminopenicillins. The mechanism of this rash has not been completely clarified. The aim of the paper is to present contemporary knowledge of incidence and causes of amoxicillin-induced exanthema during the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection in patients with serologically proven acute infectious mononucleosis. Medline/PubMed database has been searched. Recent studies have shown that the incidence of amoxicillin rash is significantly lower. It is believed that the underlying viral infection triggers antibiotic hypersensitivity secondary to transient immune system alterations, but some reports suggest the possibility of true and persistent drug allergy. In the case of the development of a generalized maculopapulose rash in patients treated with amoxicillin due to acute upper respiratory tract infection, the existence of acute Epstein-Barr virus infection should be considered and each rash occurrence needs to be clarified. Additional allergologic testing is advisable