Penicillin (PCN) was discovered by Alexander Flemming in 1928 and became widely used in 1942 to treat various staphylococcal and streptococcal bacterial infections. Today, penicillin is still one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics. Penicillin is also one of the most frequently reported medication allergies. The penicillin family of antibiotics includes penicillin derivatives of ampicillin and amoxicillin as well as cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, and beta-lactamase inhibitors. All penicillins share the same core beta-lactam and thiazolidine ring structures but differ in their side chains. Identification of true penicillin allergy is critical as 80% to 90% of people once considered allergic are ultimately able to tolerate penicillins resulting in the decreased need for broad-spectrum antibiotics and development of multi-drug resistant organisms.
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