Sulfadiazine Other names: Sulfanilamidopyrimidine Sulfapyrimidine Sulphadiazine

Reactions are more likely in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Acute haemolytic anaemia: rarely with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

There is epidemiological evidence of the safety of sulfadiazine in human pregnancy, but the clinician should assess the risk benefit factors before recommending sulfadiazine to pregnant women. There is evidence of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in animals at high dosage, especially during the first trimester. It is generally considered that sulphonamides are not given late in pregnancy because of the risk of haemolytic anaemia in the newborn. Fear of increased risk of kernicterus in neonates appears to be unfounded. Although kernicterus has been reported in neonates following direct administration of sulphonamides, kernicterus in the neonate following in utero exposure has not been reported.

Sulphonamides are excreted in the breast milk in small amounts and should be used with caution in nursing mothers of healthy newborn, ill, stressed or premature infants, or infants with jaundice or hyperbilirubinaemia (risk of kernicterus) and mothers of infants with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (risk of haemolytic anaemia). A decision to continue/discontinue breast-feeding or to continue/discontinue therapy with sulfadiazine should be made following careful risk benefit evaluation.

Not known.