Allergies to sulfa drugs are common.
This article explains sulfa allergy symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
It also covers how to tell the difference between sulfa allergy and sulfite allergy.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
What Is a Sulfa Allergy?
Sulfa allergies are allergic reactions to sulfonamide drugs.
If someone is sensitive to sulfa, the most common reactions manifest on the skin as rashes.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
However, symptoms can also be more severe.
Sulfonamides are one of the earliest-developed antimicrobial drugs.
They are used less frequently than in the past because safer, more effective medications have replaced them.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
Researchers believe that sulfa reactions occur in 3% to 8% of people.
What Are the Symptoms of a Sulfa Allergy?
The symptoms and severity of a sulfa allergy can vary from mild to life-threatening.
Seek emergency care if symptoms are severe and rapidly progressing.
Anaphylaxis can occur within seconds to minutes, but sometimes symptoms may emerge two hours after exposure.
Unlike anaphylaxis, SJS/TEN takes time for symptoms to develop.
Painful blisters typically appear between four and 30 days after starting a medication.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
What Drugs Should Be Avoided With a Sulfa Allergy?
This bang out of anemia pops up if red blood cells break down too soon.
What Are the Causes of a Sulfa Allergy?
Certain people are at a higher risk of sulfa allergy than others.
These include people who areimmunocompromisedand those withadvanced HIV infection.
How Is a Sulfa Allergy Diagnosed?
However, this may be too dangerous if your past response was severe.
How Is a Sulfa Allergy Treated?
The first-line treatment for a sulfa allergy is stopping the suspected drug.
For safety, this must be done under physician supervision with appropriate staffing and supplies to treat severe anaphylaxis.
If they stop the medication, they would need to undergo another desensitization prior to receiving the medication again.
Adding this to your medical record can help providers know how to best treat you in the future.
How Is a Sulfa Allergy Prevented?
As mentioned above, a sulfa drug is derived from the sulfonamide molecule.
On the other hand, sulfites are compounds containing sulfuric acid used as preservatives in packaged foods and wine.
They can cause reactions in some people but are not related to sulfonamides.
As such, you dont need to avoid sulfites if you have a sulfa allergy.
Summary
A sulfa allergy is an allergy to a group of medications containing sulfonamides.
Sulfonamides are found in antibiotics, burn creams, vaginal suppositories, eye drops, and other medications.
The most common sulfa allergy symptom is an itchy rash.
Giles A, Foushee J, Lantz E, Gumina G.Sulfonamide allergies.Pharmacy (Basel).
2019;7(3):132. doi:10.3390/pharmacy7030132
Patterson RA, Stankewicz HA.Penicillin allergy.
Brooke JS.Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: an emerging global opportunistic pathogen.Clin Microbiol Rev.
2012;25(1):2-41. doi:10.1128/CMR.00019-11
Schnyder B, Pichler WJ.Allergy to sulfonamides.J Allergy Clin Immunol.
2013;131(1):256-257.e1-e5.
doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.10.003
Allergy & Asthma online grid.What is anaphylaxis?
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
Ruminski MA, Wisneski SS, Dugan SE.Stevens-Johnson syndrome: what a pharmacist should know.US Pharm.
2013;38(7):69-79.
Platt D, Griggs RC.Use of acetazolamide in sulfonamide-allergic patients with neurologic channelopathies.Arch Neurol.
National Library of Medicine.Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
2019;7(7):2151-2153. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2019.05.051
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Drug allergies.
2012;6(2):15-23. doi:10.4103/0259-1162.108284
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Food can affect asthma.
Food and Drug Administration.Fish and fishery products hazards and controls guidance.
