Penicillin desensitization in allergic pregnant women with syphilis. Report of two cases / Desensibilización a penicilina en mujeres embarazadas alérgicas. Informe de dos casos
ABSTRACT Syphilis during pregnancy has a high risk of congenitaltransmission with disastrous fetal consequences. Penicillin (PNC) is the only effective antimicrobial for the treatment of pregnant women with syphilis. Chilean guidelines do not consider desensitization to PNC in these women. We report two cases of pregnant womenaged 32 and 23 years, with immediate allergy to PNC and syphiliswho were safely and successfully desensitized using a four-hour intravenous protocol in the critical care unit and who subsequently received benzathine G PNC. An electronicsurvey was conducted among approximately 100 Clinical Pharmacists (CP) in the country. Of these, 16 answered and 13 reported having experience in drug desensitization, in at least five cases with PNC and none reported deaths or cardiorespiratory arrest. Desensitization to PNC can be carried out safely and in Chile, this alternative should be incorporated to the management of pregnant women with syphilis and immediate allergy to PNC, instead of using erythromycin.