Prevalence of ceftriaxone-induced red blood cell antibodies in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Ceftriaxone can be associated with catastrophic immune hemolysis in pediatric patients, particularly those with underlying diseases such as sickle cell disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection. We designed a study to screen for ceftriaxone-induced RBC antibodies in these 2 pediatric populations. The prevalence of anticeftriaxone antibody was 12.5% (8 of 64). Two of these 8 patients with the antibody experienced hemolysis; 1 case was fatal.