Zithromax is a common and popular antibiotic used to treat certain infections, however a serious Zithromax SJS reaction may occur as a result of taking the antibiotic.

Zithromax (azithromycin) is prescribed to treat bacterial infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ears, lungs and other organs.

In 1992 Zithromax was approved by the FDA to treat such infections, and since, the approval has widened to include sexually transmitted diseases, bacterial inflammations and ear infections in children.

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zithromax, saw $435 million in Zithromax sales in 2012 alone, even with the availability of generic forms of azithromycin on the market.

Most of the time, Zithromax is prescribed in the form of a Z-Pak. This is a 5-day pill cycle that only requires half of the dosage as other popular antibiotics. Doctors like to prescribe Zithromax because patients are more likely to commit to the shorter dosage time and the convenience of the drug.

Zithromax works by preventing bacteria from multiplying and producing necessary proteins needed for bacterial growth. The bacteria that is left eventually die or are killed by the body’s immune system. Other antibiotics work by actually attacking the bacteria itself.

The white blood cells in the body pick up Zithromax and carry the medicine to where it is needed to fight the bacteria, and as Zithromax does not break down in the body as quickly as other drugs, patients need fewer doses for the same effectiveness.

Zithromax SJS Reaction

However effective Zithromax may be, the drug comes with the possibility of serious side effects. By 2012, the FDA had warned Pfizer that a possible serious side effect of Zithromax was a life-threatening skin condition called Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

During a Zithromax SJS reaction, a patient’s own immune system fails to work correctly and instead of attacking an infection, it attacks itself. In the case of a Zithromax SJS reaction, the body attacks its own skin.

When a patient suffers from a Zithromax SJS reaction, it often begins with flu-like symptoms. However, soon after, the sufferer begins to develop a painful rash.

The Zithromax SJS reaction then is characterized by sores, blisters and ulcers. Essentially, the top layer of the skin separates from the second layer of the skin and the top layer begins to die.

In some severe cases of Zithromax SJS reaction, the eyes can be affected which can cause permanent visual damage, or spread to the internal organs and cause organ failure.

Considered a medical emergency, a Zithromax SJS reaction requires immediate medical attention. Lifelong complications may occur including disfiguring, disabling scars, or permanent blindness.

Zithromax SJS reaction patients are usually treated in the burn unit of a hospital. Recovery can take a from as little as a few weeks to many months.

If the Zithromax SJS reaction covers more than 30 percent of the body, physicians consider the condition as Toxic Epidermal Necrolyisis (TEN). TEN can also cover as much as 90 percent of the body, making it much more serious and life-threatening than SJS.

Alarmingly as many as 15% of SJS patients can die from the condition, as much as 40% of TEN cases are fatal.