Ticarcillin-Induced Neutropenia Corroborated by in vitro CFU-C Toxicity

Abstract

A patient developed a drug rash and neutropenia while receiving tobramy-cin, ticarcillin and flucloxacillin intravenously for osteomyelitis. Incorporation of these antibiotics into in vitro cultures of bone marrow granulocyte macrophage precursors (CFU-C) showed no inhibition of the patient’s marrow or normal marrow by tobramy-cin. The patient’s marrow was more sensitive to ticarcillin than were control cultures, and all cultures incorporating flucloxacillin failed to show growth of CFU-C. Drugs of the penicillin group appear to be responsible for the patient’s neutropenia.