ABSTRACT
Neutropenia by non-chemotherapy drugs is an extremely rare idiosyncratic life-threatening drug reaction. Ceftriaxone and meropenem are widely used broad-spectrum antibiotics and are generally safe and well tolerated. The authors present a case of neutropenia induced by ceftriaxone and meropenem in an adult patient. The resolution of neutropenia occurred within 48 hours of ceftriaxone and meropenem being discontinued. Although antibiotic-induced neutropenia is uncommon, clinicians should be mindful of this adverse drug effect because of its potential development of severe neutropenia, septicaemia, septic shock, deep-seated infections and even death. Therefore, neutropenic sepsis treatment should be initiated without delay, particularly if the patient becomes septic and febrile. Granulocyte-colony stimulation factor (G-CSF) may be administered to facilitate the recovery process with daily monitoring of neutrophil count. Mortalities from antibiotic-induced neutropenia remain rare, with a range of 2.5-5%. LEARNING POINTS: Beta-lactam antibiotics and cabapenem are widely prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of various infections, but they can uncommonly cause neutropenia as adverse effects.Severe neutropenia may lead to severe life-threatening sepsis, shock and even death.Drug-induced neutropenia typically improves with the cessation of offending agents, supportive treatment and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) which may shorten the recovery time.
