Case Report
Piperacillin/Tazobactam as Cause of Acute Generalized
Exanthematous Pustulosis
Aikaterini Kyriakou ,
1
Sofia-Chrysovalantou Zagalioti,
2
Aikaterini Patsatsi ,
1
Nikiforos Galanis,
3
and Elizabeth Lazaridou
1
1
Second Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Tessaloniki, Greece
2
Papageorgiou Hospital, Tessaloniki, Greece
3
Department of Orthopedics, Medical School, Aristotle University of Tessaloniki, Greece
Correspondence should be addressed to Aikaterini Kyriakou; docmouli@gmail.com
Received 27 October 2018; Revised 31 March 2019; Accepted 16 April 2019; Published 24 April 2019
Academic Editor: Ioannis D. Bassukas
Copyright © 2019 Aikaterini Kyriakou et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare cutaneous adverse reaction mainly attributed to antibiotics. It is
characterized by numerous, nonfollicular, sterile pustules, arising on an exanthematous and edematous base. It is a serious adverse
reaction accompanied by fever and leukocytosis. Piperacillin/tazobactam is indicated for the treatment of patients with moderate
to severe infections. Herein is reported a case of AGEP caused by piperacillin/tazobactam. A 78-year-old woman with metastatic
breast cancer was presented to the emergency department reporting fever and groin pain. Te laboratory analysis and more
specifcally urine cultivation showed a urinary tract infection by E. coli with sensitivity to piperacillin/tazobactam. She had no
known allergies. She was started on intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam; she improved clinically on the second day, but on the
fourth day of intravenous therapy, she developed extensive pustular rash on the folds and anterior proximal thighs, accompanied
by fever and neutrophilia. Piperacillin/tazobactam administration was interrupted and she was given prednisolone for ten days.
Te patient improved clinically and her laboratory tests returned to normal afer two weeks. AGEP is an uncommon side efect of
piperacillin/tazobactam treatment and there are few cases reported.
1. Introduction
Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a
rare and severe cutaneous adverse reaction. Its incidence
is estimated to be one to fve cases per million people per
year [1]. Te vast majority of the cases reported in the
literature are attributed to antibiotics, mainly penicillin and
macrolide [2]. However, viral infection, UV radiation, and
hypersensitivity reaction to mercury have also been reported
as uncommon causes of AGEP [3]. It is presented with an
abrupt onset of numerous, nonfollicular, sterile pustules,
arising on an erythematous and edematous base [4–6]. Te
lesions are preferentially located either on the face or on
the intertriginous areas; then they spread to the trunk and
limbs within a few hours [3]. Latency time for antibiotics is
generally short, while for other drugs it is longer [1], and rash
is accompanied by fever and leukocytosis with neutrophilia
[2, 5, 6]. Piperacillin/tazobactam is an antibiotic indicated for
the treatment of patients with moderate to severe infections
[7]. A case of a patient who developed this rare condition with
the use of piperacillin/tazobactam is presented and discussed.
2. Case Presentation
A 78-year-old, Caucasian female patient with metastatic
breast cancer under chemotherapy was presented to the
emergency department reporting fever, groin pain, vomiting
(over 10 times per day) and being unable to get up of the bed
for the past four days afer the last chemotherapy. Te initial
laboratory workup revealed increased serum creatinine level
of 3.20 mg/dl (GFR=14.89 mL/min/1.73m2, baseline= 0.57-
1.11). Moreover, the urine analysis showed increased pyocytes
(>100), while the urine cultivation highlighted E. coli with
sensitivity to piperacillin/tazobactam.
Hindawi
Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine
Volume 2019, Article ID 3273987, 3 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/3273987