ABSTRACT
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the amphenicol class with primarily bacteriostatic activity, that was first isolated from cultures of Streptomyces venezuelae in 1947, but is now produced synthetically. Chloramphenicol is mostly used in skin ointments, ear drops for the treatment of otitis externa and eye drops or ointment to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. Sources of sensitization are mostly ointments applied to leg ulcers or stasis dermatitis, eye drops and – to a lesser degree - ear drops. Much work on chloramphenicol allergy has been published in early German literature. Patients with chronic otitis externa or media had 3% resp. 4.2% positive reactions. A high rate of 9.8% was observed in a group of patients suspected of iatrogenic contact dermatitis, in Belgium, in a University clinic specialized in cosmetic and drug allergy. In Pamplona, Spain, in one year’s time, 13 patients were diagnosed with contact allergy to ophthalmic medications, nearly 3% of all patients investigated for suspected contact dermatitis.
