A rare adverse effect of metronidazole: nervous system symptoms

Pediatr Emerg Care. 2013 Jun;29(6):751-2. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e318294f389.

Abstract

Metronidazole, as a 5-nitroimidazole compound, is effective on anaerobic bacteria and protozoon diseases. Mostly, metronidazole is a tolerable drug but rarely presents serious adverse effects on the nervous system. In case of these adverse effects, treatment must be stopped.In this report, a 3-year-old child hospitalized because of diarrhea is presented. During the metronidazole treatment, loss of sight, vertigo, ataxia, and headache occurred as the adverse effects. By this report, we want to express the rare adverse effects of drugs in the differential diagnoses of nervous system diseases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / adverse effects*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Ataxia / chemically induced*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Convalescence
  • Dizziness / chemically induced*
  • Dysentery, Amebic / drug therapy
  • Headache / chemically induced*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metronidazole / adverse effects*
  • Metronidazole / therapeutic use
  • Vertigo / chemically induced*
  • Vision Disorders / chemically induced*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Metronidazole