Drug reaction caused by ampicillin: March 2011

Ans. A: Exanthematous eruption Most severe and life-threatening examples of drug eruptions They are erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, hypersensitivity vasculitis, DRESS syndrome, erythroderma and exanthematous pustulosis. By appearance The most common type of eruption is a morbilliform (resembling measles) or erythematous rash, but the appearance may also be uicarial, papulosquamous, pustular, purpuric, bullous (with blisters) or lichenoid. Angioedema can also be drug-induced (most notably, by angiotensin conveing enzyme inhibitors). By mechanism The underlying mechanism can be immunological (such as in drug allergies) or non-immunological (for example, in photodermatitis or as a side effect of anticoagulants). A fixed drug eruption is the term for a drug eruption that occurs in the same skin area every time the person is exposed to the drug. Eruptions can occur frequently with a ceain drug (for example, with phenytoin), or be very rare (for example, Sweet's syndrome following the administration of colony-stimulating factors). By drug Examples of common drugs causing drug eruptions are antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs, sulfa drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), biopharmaceuticals, chemotherapy agents, anticonvulsants, and psychotropic drugs. - Common examples include photodermatitis due to local NSAIDs (such as piroxicam) or due to antibiotics (such as minocycline), and the rash following ampicillin in cases of mononucleosis