Primaxin is cleared from the body by the kidneys, so it is important to tell ones doctor about any other drugs being taken that are also cleared through the kidneys (such as other antibiotics), especially for older patients, as kidney function declines with age.Patients who are allergic to penicillin, cephalosporins, and related drugs may react to imipenem. It is important tell ones doctor or pharmacist ones medical history, especially of brain disorders (e.g., seizures, head injury, tumor), kidney disease, liver disease, and stomach/intestinal diseases (e.g., colitis). Hepatotoxicity
In large clinical trials, imipenem was associated with transient and asymptomatic elevations in serum aminotransferase levels in about 6% of patients given the drug for five to 14 days. More serious hepatic injury from imipenem/cilastatin is rare, but jaundice and liver test abnormalities have been reported in 0.1% of patients in prospective trials of the agent. Several instances of cholestatic jaundice arising during or shortly after therapy have been reported with imipenem-cilastatin and other carbapenems. The latency to onset has been within one to three weeks, and the pattern of enzyme elevations is usually cholestatic. Immunoallergic features can occur, but autoantibodies are rare. The course is usually self-limiting, but at least one case of vanishing bile duct syndrome related to the carbapenems has been reported. Imipenem and other carbapenems have not been linked to cases of acute liver failure. Mechanism of liver injury
The cause of the mild, transient serum enzyme elevations during imipenem-cilastatin therapy is not known.
Capillariasis is a disease in the group of helminthiasis diseases caused by the nematode Capillaria philippinensis. Symptoms and signs
Symptoms in infested humans include watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, weight loss, borborygmus (stomach growling), and depressed levels of potassium and albumin in the blood. In humans, the parasites damage the cells of the intestinal wall. This damage interferes with the absorption of nutrients and the maintenance of a proper electrolyte balance. Untreated C. philippinensis infestations are often fatal. Diagnosis
Diagnosis usually involves finding the eggs and/or adults of C. philippinensis in stool samples. Prevention
Prevention is as simple as avoiding eating small, whole, uncooked fish. However, in C. philippinensis endemic areas, such dietary habits are common and have been practiced for many generations. Treatment
Anthelmintics such as mebendazole and albendazole have been reported to eliminate infestation of humans more effectively than thiabendazole. References


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