Tension over antibiotics infusion for children

Tension prevailed at Pollachi Government Hospital on Sunday night when 14 children, who were undergoing treatment for fever, developed chills after they were administered intravenous (IV) fluid infusion containing antibiotics.

Allergen

Hospital authorities said that the condition was caused by the possible presence of allergen in the sterile solution used for mixing the antibiotics.

S. Kannan, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (in charge), Coimbatore, said that the children were back to normalcy within an hour.

“The condition could have caused due to contamination of the sterile solution. Antibiotics was administered in the right dose for each child according to their age,” said Dr. Kannan.

One of the children, a seven-month-old baby, was referred to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

“We have sent back the whole batch of sterile solution to Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation to check for contamination,” Dr. Kannan added.