Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology (Jan 2024)
Documented penicillin allergy and beta-lactam antibiotic use in Massachusetts long-term care facilities: opportunities for penicillin allergy delabeling
Abstract
In a cross-sectional study of 20 Massachusetts long-term care (LTC) facilities, 19% (n = 449) of residents received antibiotics, with approximately one-third having a documented penicillin allergy. This documented allergy decreased the likelihood of prescribing beta-lactam antibiotics for infections. Improved penicillin allergy assessments and delabeling could optimize antibiotic prescribing in LTC settings.