[Lymphocyte transformation in allergy to penicillin]

Thirty patients both sexes with ages between 1-52 years old, thinking that they are allergic to penicillin, were studied because they were found to have some clinic symptoms immediately after the administration of penicillin procain I.M. (intramuscle) such as urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactic shock and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. In order to confirm or to discard this asseveration an in-vitro lymphocyte transformation test was realized, with the venous peripherical blood of each patient, using the greater determinative of penicillin: the peniciloil. The results obtained were twelve negatives, twelve on doubt and six positives. These results show that the in-vitro lymphocyte transformation test may be useful to decide, when a patient could be considered allergic or not to penicillin.