Patient's question:
My baby was born via cesarean section in 2009. After the birth, the doctor gave him an injection of penicillin, and he received it for three consecutive days. I want to ask why this is the case. The child doesn't have pneumonia, jaundice, or any other symptoms—why would he need medication?Doctor's answer:
The degradation products of penicillin and the high molecular weight polymers it contains can generate hapten, which fuses with proteins or peptide molecules in the body to form a complete antigen, leading to the production of various different antibodies and thus inducing type I hypersensitivity reactions. However, the primary cause of anaphylactic shock is related to the effects of IgE in the body. Newborns have extremely poor ability to generate IgE, and immunoglobulins IgA, IgM, and IgE cannot pass through the placenta or breast milk into the infant's body. In newborns 28 days after birth, the content of IgE is only 1-15% of that in adults. Even if penicillin is used, an allergic reaction will not occur. Therefore, newborns do not require skin testing for medication.