Avelox is among the many medications that can lead to a rare condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Avelox is manufacturer Merck’s brand name for an antibiotic known generically as moxifloxacin. First approved by the FDA in 2001, it’s now approved as a treatment for various skin, respiratory and intra-abdominal infections.

Avelox is one of a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. Every year about 26 million patients in the U.S. are prescribed fluoroquinolones, making them the most frequently used type of antibiotics in the country.

Within this popular class, Avelox is the third most popular.

Despite their popularity, fluoroquinolones as a class have been linked to several different damaging and sometimes deadly side effects. Antibiotic reactions like tendon ruptures, aortic injuries and peripheral neuropathy have been reported in conjunction with courses of fluoroquinolones. Among the more damaging complications is Stevens Johnson syndrome.

Avelox and Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Stevens Johnson syndrome is a known side effect of many different kinds of medications, not just Avelox. Symptoms typically begin one to three weeks after the patient starts using the drug. The first symptoms may only be fever, headache, cough or body aches – and the condition may at first be mistaken for the flu.

Characteristic skin symptoms begin soon thereafter. A flat, discolored rash breaks out on the face and torso, and it typically spreads across the body. The rash itself is painful, and at the same time the initial symptoms may continue and worsen, making the patient feel thoroughly ill.

As the areas of rash expand, blisters form within them. The skin within the blisters becomes loose and typically peels away over one to three days.

These areas of peeled-away skin may grow over a large proportion of the body’s surface. If the affected areas grow to cover at least 30 percent of the body, the condition may be referred to as toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Though it has its own name, TEN is now considered to be a more severe manifestation of Stevens Johnson syndrome. There is some overlap between the two conditions, depending on how much skin is affected.

In addition to the skin damage, Stevens Johnson syndrome also attacks the mucous membranes that line the digestive, respiratory and genitourinary tracts, as well as the inside of the eyelid. Keratoconjunctivitis may develop in the eyes, and the corneas may scar.

Besides being extremely painful, Stevens Johnson syndrome puts the patient at risk for life-threatening complications.

The loss of skin exposes the whole body to infection, which is the most common cause of death related to this condition. Organ failure is also a serious danger. Patients lose massive amounts of fluids and salt because of the lost skin.

The product information for Avelox mentions Stevens Johnson syndrome among possible antibiotic reactions. Still, it is possible for a patient to be taken by surprise when an ordinary course of antibiotic lands them in the hospital with a life-threatening condition.

Besides being extremely painful and damaging to the body, Stevens Johnson syndrome can force a patient to stop earning income for weeks at the same time they are racking up burdensome medical expenses.