Introduction | History | How It Works
Uses | Typhoid Fever | Side Effects
Synthetic Production | U.S. and the West
- Aplastic Anemia – condition where bone marrow does not produce enough new cells to replace blood cells. It is the most serious side effect of Chloramphenicol. It is rare and fatal because there is no treatment and no conditions of the patient to predict who will be affected. Occurs after the Chloramphenicol treatments have stopped.The risk of developing aplastic anemia following chloramphenicol therapy is “ 1/10,000” (Tatli et al., 2003, p. 350).
- Leukemia. The use of chloramphenicol can induce childhood leukemia is younger patients (Shu et al., 1987, p. 935). The “relapse rate” of typhoid fever is also considered a side effect. The “relapse rate” of typhoid fever after successfully completing chloramphenicol therapy is “approximately 10%,” making the drug less desirable even to underdeveloped countries facing typhoid epidemics (Tatli et al., 2003, p. 350).