Staphylococcal Septicaemia Complicated by Probable Cloxacillin Neurotoxicity and by Jaundice Induced by Fusidic Acid

Abstract

Two weeks following a renal arteriogram a 56-year-old man with severe hypertension developed a staphylococcal septicaemia. After six weeks treatment with intravenous fusidic acid and cloxacillin he became icteric, confused and disorientated. The fusidic acid was stopped and the serum bilirubin fell to normal. His confusion persisted and serum cloxacillin levels were found to be grossly elevated. The patient's mental state returned to normal following withdrawal of cloxacillin. We attribute his jaundice to treatment with fusidic acid and his acute confusional state to cloxacillin neurotoxicity.