Presumed hypersensitivity to minocycline and conjunctival infiltration.

Minocycline is a widely prescribed systemic antibiotic for acne. Its mechanism of action is complex and not only antimicrobial in nature. Other properties of minocycline include decreased chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, a modification of the complement pathways, an inhibition of the polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemotactic factor, and inhibition of lipase production in Propionibacterium acnes .1 In ophthalmology, minocycline is used for the treatment of rosacea. Although commonly considered to be a safe drug, there have been an increasing number of reports regarding systemic adverse reactions to minocycline during the past few years.2 Adverse effects to minocycline range from minor allergic reactions to death.2–9 The only ocular side effects reported to date have been cases of presumed minocycline induced scleral pigmentation.4,8 We report a case of conjunctival infiltrates, asthma exacerbation, and hypereosinophilia associated with the concurrent use of minocycline. A 28 year old woman received oral minocycline 100 …