A Cipro injury called Stevens Johnson Syndrome is rare, but can occur when taking the antibiotic.

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat different kinds of bacterial infections. Bayer Healthcare manufactures Cipro, which was FDA-approved as a broad-spectrum antibiotic in 1987.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a severe allergic reaction to medication that begins with a fever and rash, but progresses to blistering, painful skin peeling and open sores.

The reaction can get out of control quickly, becoming fatal in 5 percent to 15 percent of cases.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Cipro Injury

If taking Cipro and Stevens Johnson Syndrome develops, the skin experiences an excruciating chemical burn from the inside out, and medical help is necessary.

Sores can even develop in the eyes, causing severe pain and blindness.

There are reports of some Cipro injury cases that form inside the patient’s body on internal organs.

When Stevens Johnson Syndrome progresses, it becomes Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), which causes victims to shed large sheets of skin that come off of the body. This is in addition to possible painful sores in the mouth, eyes and vagina.

These mucous membranes fill up with fluid generated by the immune system in a severe allergic reaction to the medication. When large areas of raw skin are exposed, the chances of the patient developing infection and sepsis (blood infection) resulting in death increase.

Most of these Cipro injury victims usually need to spend weeks or months in a hospital’s burn unit. Some people have scars and complications for the rest of their lives, adding to the emotional, physical, and financial tolls the condition can take.

Only 300 new cases of Stevens Johnson Syndrome are diagnosed each year in the United States, but they are all linked to medications.

Some patients go on to experience recurrent allergic reactions even after stopping the medication.

Cipro is the most widely prescribed drug in the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, and is often used to treat bacterial infections such as urinary tract, abdominal, gastrointestinal and respiratory infections.

In addition to the risk of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Cipro injuries can include the swelling or tearing of a tendon. Disabling side effects are associated with the drug, including those involving tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and the central nervous system.

Side effects can become evident within hours, or can take weeks after exposure to fluoroquinolones.

After reviewing the risks of Cipro injury and of other fluoroquinolones, the FDA has recommended limiting their use in patients with less severe bacterial infections.

“Fluoroquinolones have risks and benefits that should be considered very carefully,” said Edward Cox, M.D., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “It’s important that both health care providers and patients are aware of both the risks and benefits of fluoroquinolones and make an informed decision about their use.”

If you or someone you love has experienced a Cipro injury, you could benefit from a class action lawsuit.