Drug fever - A Hospital based study

ABSTRACT

To study the frequency, causative agents, symptomatology of drug fever in children. A hospital based descriptive study. The study was carried out from Jan 01,2005 to Dec 31,2005. All children examined by author were included, both in private and public sector hospitals at Hyderabad. Children 1 to 12 years of age with febrile illness of more than 10 days duration and prior use of drugs for at least 5-7 days were included in this study and were evaluated for having drug fever. 62 [0.72% of total 8560] febrile children, 32 of them males and 30 females, were diagnosed as having drug fever, with Cephalosporins being the common group responsible for causing fever in 33 [53.22%] followed by penicillins in 14 [22.60%], antituberculous in 12 [19.35%],Phenytoin in 2 [3.2%] and carbamezapine in 1 [1.61%].1] Drugs should be considered as a cause of fever of obscure origin. 2] Judicious use of drugs especially antibiotics can not be over emphasized