Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction in a child with acute purulent pansinusitis

The Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction, first described in 1895, occurs when antimicrobial drugs cause mass death of microorganisms, resulting in an uncontrolled immune response. This condition is not an allergic reaction to an administered antibiotic. Most commonly, the Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction is the result of treatment for diseases caused by spirochetes. However, cases have also been described in patients with diseases caused by other pathogens, such as in meningococcal infection or in the treatment of tuberculosis. A previously undescribed clinical case of a Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction in a child developed during antibiotic treatment (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid) of purulent pansinusitis is presented.