AZITHROMYCIN-INDUCED HYPERSENSITIVITY AND COVID-19: A CASE REPORT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijms.2024v12i4.50958Keywords:
Drug allergy, Macrolide, Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2, Case reportAbstract
An adverse drug reaction is called drug hypersensitivity syndrome. However, experts regard macrolide allergies to be infrequent. Moreover, this group of antibiotics is considered relatively safe. Although azithromycin is prescribed in COVID-19 patients due to the positive observed effects, hypersensitivity syndrome from this agent has rarely been reported. The case study discusses a 30-year-old man, who was diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 and exhibited fever (39.1°C), diffuse maculopapular rash, shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling, itching, pain, subconjunctival hemorrhage, eosinophilia (8.9% of 10.2×103/μL leukocytes), and elevated aminotransferase level following treatment with azithromycin. The Naranjo algorithm classified this case in the “definite” category. Therefore, due to the high prevalence of COVID-19 and increased administration of azithromycin, physicians should be made aware of the potential for unusual toxicity associated with azithromycin, which may become more prevalent as its use continues to expand in the future.
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