Ceftriaxone-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis mimicking burn injury: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a rare exfoliative disorder with a high mortality rate. Case presentation. We present a 70-year-old woman of Iranian descent who presented with toxic epidermal necrolysis that was initially diagnosed as a scald burn. Further anamnesis prompted by spread of the lesions during hospitalization revealed that the patient had been receiving ceftriaxone for several days. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of ceftriaxone-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis in the English literature. Conclusion. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is an acute, life-threatening, exfoliative disorder with a high mortality rate. High clinical suspicion, prompt recognition, and initiation of supportive care is mandatory. Thorough investigation of the pathogenetic mechanisms is fundamental. Optimal treatment guidelines are still unavailable. © 2009 Cohen et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.