As reported by the Times Record News of Wichita Falls, Texas, a teenage girl has suffered a rare and painful reaction to antibiotics known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

According to the article, Shanelle L. thought she had pinkeye at first. Her mother initially believed Shanelle’s ailments were a simple allergic reaction, until the SJS symptoms escalated and she rushed Shanelle to the hospital. Within the week, Shanelle had to be care-flighted to a Dallas hospital, where she spent 12 days in the Intensive Care Unit.

In the ICU, doctors struggled to treat Shanelle’s  burn-like wounds. The SJS symptoms made her eyes and mouth swell shut, and doctors had to insert a feeding tube. The burn-like sores covered her entire body.

SJS Symptoms Can be Hard to Diagnose

According to the Times Record, an early misdiagnosis complicated Shanelle’s treatment. Initially, an ER nurse mistook the early SJS symptoms as a combination of pinkeye and a kidney infection, and a milder reaction to antibiotics.

The early symptoms of SJS, including a blistering rash that may start on the eyes, mouth, or skin, coupled with a low-grade fever, may mimic a variety of other diseases, including infections and milder drug reactions. However, SJS is a life-threatening reaction, and needs immediate emergency medical care.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a rare autoimmune reaction where the immune system goes haywire and attacks the patient’s own tissue. In the case of SJS, the immune system goes after the largest organ—the skin.

It typically starts with generalized symptoms, like muscle ache, fever, and chills. However, a painful purplish rash with sores, blisters, and ulcers spreads across the skin, mouth, and eyes. When caught early, doctors have a few options, but in most cases physicians don’t realize what is going on.

In Shanelle’s case, by the time medical staff knew what was going on, they could reportedly only treat her with supportive therapy—treating the symptoms and trying to keep her alive and as comfortable as possible until the reaction ran its course.

While the article indicates that Shanelle has made a partial recovery, she still needs weekly care from a number of doctors and will continue to need regular care for at least a year. Her vision is partially reduced and she may require glasses.

Zithromax SJS

SJS symptoms are nearly always triggered by unusual reactions to drugs. Though the Times Record does not state exactly what drug caused Shanelle’s SJS, Zithromax is a common antibiotic known to trigger SJS in some individuals.

In one case study published in the medical journal Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica, doctors described the case of a 62-year-old woman who developed SJS after taking Zithromax (azithromycin). In this case, doctors rapidly figured out that it was SJS and were able to treat it with steroids.

Since Zithromax is such a widespread antibiotic, it is a potential risk for people who have a susceptibility to Stevens Johnson Syndrome or SJS.

Shanelle’s mother, Sharon, has called for greater public awareness of SJS. “Doctors say the cases are increasing,” she stated. “We need to get more familiar, more educated on the signs of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.”