Title:Amoxicillin Induced Fever, Rash, and Catatonia - A Case Study
Volume: 19
Issue: 2
Author(s): Chunnu Kumar Yadav, Rajat Ranka, Prasan Kumar Panda*, Bishal Pratap Shah, Mayank Kumar Mishra and Vijay Krishnan
Affiliation:
- Department of Medicine (ID Division), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
Keywords:
Adverse drug reaction, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, drug-induced catatonia, postpartum, vasculitic rash, fever.
Abstract:
Introduction: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are defined as any harmful or unpleasant
events or injuries resulting from the use of any particular drug. Among those antibiotics that cause
adverse reactions, amoxicillin is one of them. Catatonia and vasculitic rash are its rare adverse
effects.
Case Presentation: A 23-year-old postpartum female, with a history of taking empirical Amoxiclav
(amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 625 mg) injection and oral tablets for episiotomy wound, presented
with altered sensorium and fever followed by maculopapular rash. On examination, she had
generalized rigidity with waxy flexibility that improved by lorazepam challenge and was diagnosed
as catatonia. On evaluation, amoxicillin was found to be precipitating catatonia in this patient.
Conclusion: Since the diagnosis of catatonia is often missed, any cases with clinical presentation
of fever, rash, altered sensorium, and generalized rigidity should also be suspected for druginduced
ADR and the precipitating factor should be searched for.
