Girl burns' after reaction to drug in Telangana

Hyderabad: A 15-year-old girl from Bhongir, Meenakshi, undergoing treatment for fits at Kamineni Hospital in Nalgonda, developed severe reaction due to the medicines resulting in burn marks throughout her body from head to toe.

She was rushed to Gandhi Hospital from Nalgonda. Her parents are upset as they were asked to get treatment in the government hospital for the burns.

“She was suffering from fits and the doctor in the private hospital gave an injection which has resulted in severe burn like reaction. It is burning and itching all over the body,” said her mother Yamini. She was admitted to the acute medical ward at Gandhi Hospital but the doctors would only examine her on Thursday morning.

“These patients are to be treated like burn victims only. It is a very rare case and at the same time, it is not known which drug has caused this reaction. Hence all sulphur based drugs have to be withdrawn and alternative drugs used for the patient,” said Dr Laxmi Sharda, senior dermatologist. The reaction is called Stevens Johnson syndrome and is a life threatening situation.

“Both the layers of the skin are burnt. It usually starts with fever and in treating that with antibiotics, it is aggravated. It is very difficult to say which patient will suffer from this kind of toxic reaction. The ulcers first appear in the mouth. Once detected, the treatment must be completely stopped with those drugs and different ones must be started immediately” said Dr Abhilash K.