Acute gluteal abscesses: injectable chloroquine as a cause.

One hundred and seven patients admitted to the casualty department with acute gluteal abscesses and surgically drained were studied. In 91 patients (85%) the abscess was a result of an intramuscular injection, of whom 71 patients (66%) had the abscess following a chloroquine injection (antimalarial). Of those patients with an abscess following an intramuscular injection, in 64 patients (70%) a disposable syringe was used for injection of the drug and in 18% a boiled disposable was used. The injection was administered by a nurse in 55% of cases. The abscess occurred after the first injection in 17% of cases, the second in 25% and the third in 48% of cases at the same gluteal side. Where bacteriological culture was done (n = 44 abscesses) Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 54% of cases. Pyogenic injection abscesses are common following the i.m. injection of chloroquine in the gluteal region.