Chloramphenicol is a powerful antibiotic that can cause many adverse side effects. Chloramphenicol is indicated for bacterial infections that have tested positive for a sensitivity to the drug, according to Drugs.com. The drug is also indicated for severe infections that cannot be treated with less dangerous drugs. Chloramphenicol is contraindicated in numerous cases, and therefore should be avoided in some patients. Anyone prescribing or taking the drug should know when to use chloramphenicol and when to avoid it.
Previous Allergic Reaction to Chloramphenicol
Patients who have a history of a toxic allergic reaction to chloramphenicol should not be prescribed the drug again, according to the Monthly Index of Medical Specialties (MIMS), which is a provider of detailed drug information to medical professionals. Any allergic, or hypersensitivity, reaction to the drug can be immediately life threatening, especially if the reaction leads to difficulty breathing.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women should not be treated with chloramphenicol. According to MIMS, chloramphenicol is a category C drug. This means that the drug has either caused adverse effects to animal fetuses, or there have not been enough studies on humans or animals to know the possible effects of the drug on a fetus. The possible effects that chloramphenicol would have on the growing child outweigh the benefits of the drug.
Trivial Infections
Less serious infections such as the mild flu, colds, or throat infections should not be treated with chloramphenicol, according to Drugs.com. These infections can be treated with less dangerous drugs that will not produce the side effects associated with chloramphenicol.
History of Porphyria
Porphyria is a genetic disease that, as reported by the Mayo Clinic, causes normal chemicals in the body, called porphyrins, to build up in the skin or nerves of the patient. Chloramphenicol can increase the deposition of these chemicals within the body. Therefore, this condition has been listed by MIMS as a contraindication for chloramphenicol.
History of Bone Marrow Suppression
Bone marrow produces both red and white blood cells. Patients who have undergone treatments to suppress bone marrow (such as chemotherapy for leukemia), or who have a condition that reduces bone marrow function (such as severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome) should not take chloramphenicol, according to MIMS. Chloramphenicol can cause bone marrow suppression, or worsen preexisting bone marrow depression.
Prevention of Systemic Bacterial Infection
There are some medications that can be used to prevent systemic bacterial infection. Chloramphenicol, as reported by Drugs.com, cannot be used for this purpose. Chloramphenicol should only be used in severe cases of infection and only when other antibiotics are not useful. This is because chloramphenicol can cause serious side effects that doctors would rather avoid if possible.
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