Zithromax (azithromycin) users may be surprised to learn that the popularly prescribed antibiotic medication may come with serious and devastating side effects.

What is Zithromax?

Zithromax is a macrolide antibiotic that is used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. These infections include but are not limited to: respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, ear infections, and sexually transmitted infections.

Zithromax is different from other antibiotics in the way that it attacks bacteria. Rather than killing existing bacteria, Zithromax works by destroying the reproductive system of bacteria, halting its replication.

Once the bacteria are no longer able to reproduce, the body’s innate immune defense system steps up to tackle the remaining bacteria to eliminate infection.

Patients and physicians prefer Zithromax for a number of reasons. Zithromax is able to treat a variety of infections, making it useful in a variety of situations. It is also easy to use and requires less time to treat common bacterial infections.

With any medication, side effects are to be expected. Zithromax is no different. A number of side effects have been reported ranging from mild to severe.

Mild Zithromax side effects include nausea, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, abdominal upset, constipation, vaginal itching and discharge, skin rash, diarrhea and ringing in the ears. Most of these side effects disappear with continued use as the body gets used to the medication. There are some, however, that linger.

Zithromax May Cause Blindness and Eye Injury

Recurring bacterial infections of the eye have been associated with Zithromax use. It is suggested that the use of Zithromax may somehow suppress the immune response that would typically fight against trachoma, the bacteria responsible for the eye infection.

Some patients actually use Zithromax to treat their trachoma in the first place. However, these same individuals are often the ones who are re-infected by trachoma.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at individuals who were diagnosed with trachoma and found that those who were treated with Zithromax were more likely to suffer reoccurring trachoma infections than those who were treated with surgery.

Trachoma is a contagious bacterial infection that affects the eye and is the second leading cause of blindness. Initial symptoms of trachoma include itching and irritation of the eyes and eyelids; later symptoms include swollen eyelids and pus drainage.

If trachoma is not properly treated, blindness may develop.

A survey conducted by eHealthMe, a website that compiles reports of adverse events listed by patient’s online and submitted to the FDA, indicated that 60 individuals reported suffering blindness while taking Zithromax. The study included 20,597 people and found those who were most likely to develop blindness were female, age 60 and over, and who took the drug for less than a month.

In addition to eye injury and blindness caused by trachoma, some individuals who have taken Zithromax have developed blindness as a result of an immune condition caused by Zithromax. These individuals developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome, an allergic drug reaction. Their blindness was a complication of Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Filing a Zithromax Lawsuit

If you or a loved one has developed an eye injury or blindness following use of Zithromax to treat a bacterial infection, you may be entitled to legal compensation. A Zithromax attorney can review your case at no charge and can help you decide if filing a Zithromax lawsuit is right for you.