Piper glandular fever and amoxicillin | Amoxicillin rash

Piper glandular fever and amoxicillin

Pfeiffer’s glandular fever is a disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It causes severe malaise, sore throat and swelling of the lymph nodes. As patients present with sore throats to their family doctor, an inflammation of the throat can be falsely diagnosed and treated with e.g. amoxicillin.

However, whistling glandular fever should never be treated with amoxicillin or ampicillin, as these drugs can cause a severe rash in EBV infection. In contrast to the relatively frequent, hypersensitive rash caused by amoxicillin, this rash can even be life-threatening. This is then a serious malpractice.

Amoxicillin can only be administered in cases of certain bacterial infections. If in doubt, another antibiotic should be used. Whistling glandular fever itself does not respond at all to antibiotics such as amocixillin.

All articles in this series:

  1. Amoxicillin rash
  2. Duration of the rash
  3. Rash on the face due to amoxicillin
  4. Piper glandular fever and amoxicillin