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Serum sickness like illness and antimicrobials in children
1Department of Paediatrics, Christchurch School of Medicine, Christchurch Hospital.
Aim:
To determine which antimicrobials are associated with the development of serum sickness like reactions in children admitted to hospital in Christchurch.
Method:
A retrospective case note review of children admitted with serum sickness like reactions over a 10 year period was carried out. 59 children were identified and 30 of these were eligible for inclusion in the study.
Results:
Of the 30 children with serum sickness like reaction, 19 had received cefaclor alone, six penicillin V, two amoxycillin, and one each flucloxacillin cotrimoxazole and triacetylolendomycin (TAO). Children received these antimicrobials for 3-10 days.
Conclusion:
In this study cefaclor was commonest antimicrobial agent associated with the development of serum sickness like reaction. This association should receive consideration prior to prescribing cefaclor to children.