Incidence of Contact Hypersensitivity and Cross Sensitivity of Neomycin Group of Antibiotics.

One hundred consecutive patients suspected to have contact dermatitis due to topical medicaments were patch tested with 20% neomycin, framycetin, gentamicin as well as other commercially available antibacterial agents. Neomycin sensitivity was observed in 16.0% cases, while framycetin and gentamicin sensitivity was seen in 11.0% and 4.2% respectively. Fifty percent neomycin hypersensitive cases cross - reacted with framycetin and 22.00/o cross reactivity was observed with getamicin.