It seems just like an ordinary thing — you have what you perceive to be a bacterial infection of some sort requiring antibiotics, you go to your doctor who prescribes Zithromax as the antibiotic and you take it faithfully in hopes of getting better.

While many people will go on to get well after a short bout with an infection, some may be faced with a situation that can alter their whole life by taking Zithromax, a commonly-prescribed antibiotic with potentially dangerous side effects.

Zithromax Allergic Reaction

Like any antibiotic (or prescription drug, or even over the counter drug for that matter), Zithromax comes with the risk of potential antibiotic reactions.

While some of these antibiotic reactions are common symptoms that many individuals experience upon taking a drug, such as nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue or mild itching as your body adjusts to a medication, some antibiotic reactions can be deadly.

Most of the time, when we think of allergic antibiotic reactions, we may think of someone having an allergy to penicillin and they get hives. In a Zithromax allergic reaction, a patient taking the drug may have a traditional allergic reaction that will cease once the drug is stopped.

Sometimes, however, a Zithromax allergic reaction can be much more serious when the reaction to the drug turns out to be Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome Causes

Drugs such as Zithromax and several others including as Dilantin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and a handful of other drugs are known Stevens Johnson Syndrome causes. Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is an allergic reaction, usually in response to a drug. The condition can manifest shortly after beginning a new drug or at any time after taking a drug, making it quite unpredictable.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome causes flu-like symptoms initially, with sore throat, malaise, fever and lethargy being common. Many patients and doctors dismiss the symptoms and often attribute them to being “run down” or catching a virus.

After the flu like symptoms appear, the characteristic SJS rash is next to develop. The rash causes read or purple blisters to appear in mucous membranes in the eyes, ears, mouth and genital areas as well as on the skin. The rash causes the skin cells to die off, and skin separates from the body in sheets.

With SJS, less than 30 percent of the body is affected, and when 30 percent or more of the body is affected, the condition is called Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Both conditions are potentially life threatening and require hospitalization.

There is no cure for SJS or TEN. Some people may have temporary damage that heals in a few weeks or months, while others suffer sustained, lifelong damage to internal organs, or they can even lose their vision.

Other Zithromax Complications

Liver damage and kidney damage are other known complications linked with Zithromax usage. These can range from temporary, reversible damage to the organs to permanent damage and organ failure resulting in death.

A study recently published in the journal Hepatology in November 2015 looked at a set of drugs known to cause Stevens Johnson Syndrome and drug-induced liver injury (DILI). A patient’s chance of death increased when a drug caused both liver damage ad SJS, leading one third of patients to die as a result of the combined issues.

In patients who suffered jaundice with their liver damage and Stevens Johnson Syndrome, the rate of death increased to 45 percent.

The study stated “DILI associated with SJS/TEN is rare and associated with a a high death rate, particularly in those with jaundice; however, children and immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals have a favorable outcome.”  The researchers also reported, “[A] small group of drugs contributed to a disproportionate number of cases, and causality…was highly probable in all cases.”

Zithromax SJS Lawsuit Information

If you or a loved one has suffered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, liver injury, kidney damage or other antibiotic reactions as a result of taking Zithromax, you may have a legal claim. Our experienced attorneys will review your case at no charge to you and can help you explore your legal options.