Mark M. Bai, MD & Steven Glass, MD

Drug-induced aseptic meningitis is an uncommon and mysterious adverse reaction to some commonly used medications. This condition can mimic the signs and symptoms of a true infectious meningitis. This article provides a concise summary of drug-induced aseptic meningitis, outlining the challenges a primary care physician may face in making the clinical diagnosis. An illustrative case highlights the role of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in the pathogenesis of aseptic meningitis. Although trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is the most common antibiotic associated with drug-induced aseptic meningitis, to date only 27 cases have been described in the literature.