Oseltamivir-induced Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Oseltamivir is a viral neuraminidase enzyme inhibitor commonly prescribed for prevention and management of influenza. Common adverse effects of oseltamivir are gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and pain abdomen; others are headache, insomnia, cough, skin rashes, and sadness. In 2006, US Food and Drug Administration added a warning to the label of oseltamivir drawing attention to the risk of developing neuropsychiatric adverse events (NPAE). However, the incidence of NPAE with oseltamivir has been underreported in India. Hence, in our report, we present the occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as aggressive behavior, restlessness, hallucinations, paranoid ideas, and insomnia following administration of oseltamivir in a young adult female patient.