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Acute Psychotic Reactions and Stress Response Syndromes Following Intramuscular Aqueous Procaine Penicillin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

S. T. C. Ilechukwu
S. T. C. Ilechukwu*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, PMB 12003, Lagos, Nigeria
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Abstract

Acute non-anaphylactic reactions to procaine penicillin include fear of death, sensations of disintegration, perceived changes of body shape, and visual and auditory hallucinations. Fragments of the original reaction experience, or elaborations of it, feature prominently in a chronic syndrome which persists if the initial reaction is not supported emotionally or professionally. The cultural acceptance of the reality of ‘mysterious' forces played a role in the syndrome. Compatible diagnostic labels were panic disorder, post-traumatic disorder, mixed phobic disorder, and depressive illness. The observed period prevalence rate is 5.9 per 1000.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 156 , Issue 4 , April 1990 , pp. 554 - 559
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1990 

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