[Allergy and anaphylaxis].

Acute undesirable drug reactions following the application of one of the modern amiglycoside antibiotics only occur in some exceptional cases. Those compounds reveal low sensitizing capacity, in contrast to streptomycin. Following topical applications, allergies of delayed type have been recorded, especially in the case of neomycin, a widely used topical antibiotic. Aminoglycosides exhibit anaphylactoid activity; they cause a degranulation of mast cells. Via this mechanism, histamine reactions are provoked. Such "anaphylactoid" reactions are clinically indistinguishable from true allergic (anaphylactic) phenomena and repeatedly have been erroneously interpreted. For allergological test series as well as for the correct interpretation of acute unwanted drug effects it is important to consider the anaphylactoid activity of the aminoglycosides.