Oseltamivir-induced Behavioral Changes in a Female Lebanese Adolescent: A Case Report of a Usual Drug with Unusual Side Effect

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms, including abnormal behavior, after oseltamivir use among influenza patients have been of concern. In recent years, many case reports of neuropsychiatric events during or after oseltamivir treatment were reported; however, literature review revealed no such cases in Lebanon. Oseltamivir is the most widely prescribed medication against influenza and is generally well tolerated, causing random gastrointestinal disturbances, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. However, in rare instances, it has been reported to stimulate behavioral activities in adolescents. We report herein a case of an oseltamivir-related neuropsychiatric event in a female adolescent in Lebanon, which resolved 2 days after stopping the drug.

A case of Co-infection COVID-19 and influenza with psychotic symptoms

“…Some viruses like HIV, Brucella, Toxoplasma gondii, Chlamydia trachomatis , and SARS-CoV-2 are neurotropic and cause mental and psychiatric disorders due to dysfunction of cytokines systems and impairment blood-brain barrier (14). Nevertheless, Oseltamivir is a drug for the treatment of influenza but on the other hand, Rabih et al (2019), mentioned this drug can be induced neuropsychiatric events among the patients aged ten to nineteen years old after 24 hours of the start, but our patient had psychotic symptoms before administering this drug [ [14] , [15] , [16] ]. In Germany (2022), it was observed that exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic had put children under pressure in terms of mental health and had increased anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in them [ 17 ].…”

Anti-Influenza Virus Activity of Citrullus lanatus var. citroides as a Functional Food: A Review

“…There have been reports of influenza strains resistant to oseltamivir (NA inhibitor), which is used worldwide [10]. Oseltamivir, which is currently the antiviral drug most commonly used against influenza, may be restricted to some people [11,12]. Baloxavir differs from neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and others) that release the virus from the infected cell surface.…”