Hypersensitivity pneumonitis during minocycline treatment

A patient is reported who developed dyspnoea, fever, pleuritic chest pain and a non-productive cough following treatment with minocycline for 9 days. The chest radiograph showed an interstitial pattern and there was a peripheral eosinophilia. A diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis attributable to minocycline was made. The disease responded quickly to withdrawal of the drug. This observation shows that minocycline, despite its mild toxicity profile, can give rise to serious adverse effects.