Ultraviolet recall phenomenon following the use of ampicillin.

Ultraviolet recall or sunburn reactivation is an uncommon phenomenon that has been most frequently reported in patients who suffered sunburns and then subsequently underwent therapy with methotrexate. There are very few cases in which antibiotics are involved. We report a case of ultraviolet recall occurring after ampicillin therapy. Our patient suffered severe vesiculobullous skin reaction in areas that had been sunburned only minimally 2 months previously. The patch test was positive only to ampicillin tested in the skin previously affected.