According to an article published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, a woman presented with symptomatology that appeared to be Steven Johnson Syndrome, a severe immunological reaction, as a result of the cefotaxime use.

The patient described was a 72-year-old woman who presented with a urinary tract infection. Following the administration of cefotaxime, an antibiotic, she developed erosions and blisters on various parts of her body, including both the skin and mucous membranes.

She also suffered from fever and weakness.

The patient’s Steven Johnson symptoms began shortly after Cefotaxime was administered and her newly developed symptoms resolved shortly after discontinuing the drug.

What Is Cefotaxime?

Cefotaxime is an antibiotic that is used to treat pneumonia, lung infections, sexually transmitted diseases, meningitis, other brain and spinal cord infections and other infections of the abdomen, female reproductive system, bone, skin, joint, blood and urinary tract.

The antibiotic is also used in the treatment of Lyme disease, salmonella, food poisoning, typhoid fever and various infections caused by dog bites.

Cefotaxime is also used in a preventative fashion with patients before surgery, during and after cesarean sections and at other times where preventing bacterial infections is needed.

As a very potent antibiotic, cefotaxime is typically delivered by injection at a hospital or is sometimes self-administered in a home setting.

As with any medication, side effects from taking the antibiotic may occur and may range from mild to severe.

Mild cefotaxime side effects include redness, pain, swelling or bleeding near the injection site, vomiting or nausea. Most of these disappear soon after beginning a course of the antibiotic.

More severe side effects may also ensue. Those side effects include difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the face, tongue, throat, lips and eyes. Many of these side effects are linked to an anaphylactic reaction to the medication, and it should be stopped immediately.

Cefotaxime and Steven Johnson Disease

Other cefotaxime side effects of a serious nature that may also occur include flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, sore throat, malaise, fatigue and weakness, itching, rash, hives or skin that begins blistering, peeling or shedding.

These listed side effects for cefotaxime are the same symptoms that present in Steven Johnson disease.

At the onset, many patients with Steven Johnson disease initially present with symptoms similar to the flu.

Many times, these symptoms go unnoticed, as they are often similar to the infection that led to the cefotaxime administration. Sometimes patients may think they are simply coming down with the flu or a cold.

It typically isn’t until the rash presents that patients realize something else may be going on. The Steven Johnson disease rash typically consists of purple or red blisters that appear in the mucous membranes of the body or on the skin.

The rash causes skin cells to die and the dead skin flakes off the body in large patches. Many times, the victim of Steven Johnson disease looks like a burn victim whose upper layers of skin have burned off.

The syndrome may cover up to 30% of the person’s body in the characteristic Steven Johnson disease rash. If more than 30% of the patient’s body is covered with the rash, the more serious and debilitating syndrome is referred to as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

There is no cure for Steven Johnson disease. Patients must immediately discontinue the drug, and supportive care must be provided in a hospital setting, as the condition is considered a medical emergency.

The outcome for patients faced with Steven Johnson disease varies. For some milder cases, the condition heals within several days up to a week, and for others it could be months before the symptoms are resolved.

Permanent damage may also result from Steven Johnson disease, including organ damage and blindness. Other patients may be fortunate and not have severe lasting damage.

The condition can be fatal, as is the case for 5 to 10% of those with Steven Johnson disease and 25 to 35% of those with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.