The Know Daily - Thursday 28 September 2023

_{Thursday 28 September ∙ Read in 5m 39s ∙ Listening to Elmiene}

A species of tree last seen nearly two centuries ago has been rediscovered in Brazil, in what scientists say is an “incredible find”. The Pernambuco holly is the 9th “missing” species to be located by the conservation group Re:wild, which launched its Search for Lost Species project in 2017.

📣 Penicillin PSA

Millions of people in the UK wrongly believe that they’re allergic to penicillin, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said.

What’s the story?
Penicillin is a common antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of infections. Around four million people in the UK have a penicillin allergy on their medical record - but when tested, the vast majority (around 90%) are not actually allergic, research has shown.

Why is this the case?
According to the RPS, many people confuse antibiotic side effects - which can include nausea and indigestion - with an allergic reaction. For some, this leads them to be labelled as having a penicillin allergy from their early childhood, without it ever being properly investigated.

“Many individuals are at low or very low risk of having a genuine penicillin allergy, and we often find that after careful investigation that they can take penicillin safely,” said an RPS spokesperson.

Why does this matter?
If people are labelled as allergic to penicillin, they are given “second-choice antibiotics” which can be less effective, said the BBC.

There are also concerns over the wider impact on public health. “Increased prescribing of the broader spectrum antibiotics is driving increased antibacterial resistance, where antibiotics lose their ability to treat infections properly,” said a senior pharmacist at Northumbria Healthcare.

So what should we do about it?
The RPS is urging patients to ask their GP or pharmacist questions about their allergy label next time they visit.

There are long waiting times to see a specialist allergist for tests, the BBC has pointed out. But experts say there are “other ways” to remove a penicillin-allergy label, such as compiling a detailed history of symptoms.

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