Evaluation of circulating immune complex-like material for development of skin reactions in connection with penicillin therapy

The levels of immune complex-like material in serum from 18 patients in connection with skin eruptions appearing during penicillin therapy were determined with a modified ELISA. Immune complex-like material could only be shown in the serum of 3 out of the 17 patients. However, according to ELISA results, the complexes appeared without the simultaneous presence of penicilloyl-specific antibodies. Neither could penicilloyl-specific antibodies be recorded in 9 patient treated with parenteral penicillin without adverse reactions. 3 of these patients had immune complex-like material in their serum. It was concluded that immune complex-like material with penicilloyl specificity is not likely to contribute to the development of skin eruptions often seen in connection with penicillin treatment.