Cross-sensitivity within the neomycin group of antibiotics

Abstract

Neomycin sensitive patients were tested for hypersensitivity to kanamycin, gentamycin, tobramycin, spectinomycin and to the new, not yet registered sisomycin and netilmicin. Cross-sensitivity occured in a considerable part of the patients, except for spectinomycin, the structure of which is basically different from that of the other aminoglycosides tested. The common occurence of cross-sensitivity between neomycin and other aminoglycoside antibiotics shows that it is possible to predict cross-sensitivity between a new drug and an old sensitizing one before clinical reactions from the new drug have occured. Such an investigation should be performed before adopting new antibiotics.