Abbreviations: BLA: Beta-lactam allergy; CBH: Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital; GSH: Groote Schuur Hospital; IQR: Interquartile range; MPDH: Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital; NSH: New Somerset Hospital; UCTPAH: University of Cape Town Academic Hospital; VWH: Victoria Wynberg Hospital
Of the 48 self-reported BLA patients, 60.4% were female, and the median age was 59 years (IQR 37;68). There were no reported BLA under the age of 18 years (Table 3 , Supplement Table 2 ). There were 12 patients (0.8%) that reported non-BL antibiotic allergies. The majority (n=35 [71%]) of participants reported that the allergic event had taken place more than ten years previously. Most (64.6% [n=31]) could recall the details of the allergic event, but 12.5% (n=6) of patients reported a BLA based on family history alone. In total 64.6% (n=31) patients were classified as low risk, 22.9% (n=11) as moderate risk, while only 10.4% (n=5) patients were classified as high risk for positive penicillin testing. Eight patients reported anaphylaxis and ten reported angioedema (six of whom had laryngeal angioedema). The most common reported symptoms were a mild/self-limiting skin rash in 25% (n=12) of patients. In total, 30 patients (62.5%) required treatment for the BLA but only 10 (20.8%) required adrenaline.