Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a painful and potentially deadly reaction associated with many different kinds of drugs. One of these is the frequently-prescribed antibiotic azithromycin, which has been linked to a few documented cases of azithromycin Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Azithromycin is an antibiotic whose common brand names are Zithromax, AzaSite, and Zmax. It is prescribed to treat various types of infections, including bacterial conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye.

Some infections being treated with azithromycin include upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, and skin infections.

The drug, however, works differently than other types of antibiotics, particularly because the method used by the drug is not to directly kill off the bacteria. Azithromycin works by inhibiting further bacterial reproduction, allowing the body’s own immune system to step in and kill off the infection on its own.

According to a case study published in the journal Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica in 2006, Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a disorder that involves the skin and mucous membranes. The condition is characterized by a rash that appears around one to three weeks following exposure to a “known stimulus” and that cannot be explained by any other identification.

The study recounts the experience of a 62-year old woman who 10 days prior to hospital admittance was taking a course of azithromycin for an upper respiratory tract infection. After a few days, however, she developed a rash over her palms, along with a fever and chills, and a reddish discoloration around her eyes.

She was later diagnosed with Stevens Johnson syndrome, and after being delivered corticosteroid therapy with methylprednisolone, the skin lesions that had developed disappeared.

Azithromycin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Facts

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a serious adverse side effect caused by an allergic drug reaction. Many different types of medications, allegedly including azithromycin, may potentially instigate the development of Stevens Johnson syndrome.

A reaction and development of azithromycin Stevens Johnson syndrome begins with flu-like symptoms. These first symptoms may be improperly dismissed as effects of the infection itself, or as minor side effects of the new medication.

Azithromycin Stevens Johnson syndrome symptoms include, fatigue, a sore throat, chills, and a fever. As the flu symptoms continue to develop, a rash also arises. It characteristically appears as a red or purple blister developing first in the body’s mucous membranes, such as the nose, genital area, anus, eyes, and mouth.

The rash soon appears anywhere on the body spreading all over the skin. It also causes blisters to appear and peel away, causing the deeper layers of the skin such as the dermis and hypodermis to become exposed and vulnerable.

In azithromycin Stevens Johnson syndrome, up to 30% of the body’s skin layer is affected, and the body may look as if it had been badly burned.

Hospitalization is required for a person suffering from azithromycin Stevens Johnson syndrome. The patient may require treatment in an intensive care unit or a hospital burn unit if one is available.

Although some patients may recover fully in a matter of weeks and with little long term side effects, other patients may suffer from other more severe and longer-lasting adverse side effects. Such side effects may include other severe infections, organ damage, and blindness.