[Acute hypothermia and adverse effects on the central nervous system during erythromycin therapy]

Acute hypothermia and central nervous symptoms were observed in a 1 1/2 year-old child treated with erythromycin. The symptoms were mild hypothermia, ataxia, somnolence and apparent fatigue. Withdrawal of erythromycin led to reversal of the symptoms. Such side effects of antibiotics may be misinterpreted as involvement of the central nervous system in the infection for which the drug was given.