The prescription drug Avelox has been associated with the risk of causing a potentially life-threatening antibiotic rash known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

Also known by its generic name moxifloxacin, Avelox is classified as a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, or simply quinolone. Quinolones work by inhibiting the action of an enzyme that is necessary for replication and transcription of bacteria’s DNA.

A product of Bayer Pharmaceuticals that first got FDA approval in December 1999, Avelox is used as a treatment for several different types of bacterial infections, including complicated intra-abdominal infections, certain infections of the skin and respiratory system, and plague.

Like other quinolone antibiotics, Avelox can lead to Stevens Johnson Syndrome or SJS. One study of epidemiological data in India concluded that quinolones were one of the major causes of SJS and its more severe form, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) in that country from 1995 to 2011.

The current FDA-approved label for Avelox warns that certain severe dermatologic reactions, including SJS, have been reported in association with quinolones such as Avelox. Fortunately, SJS is rare, but when it does occur it’s most often caused by a drug such as Avelox.

SJS Side Effect of Avelox

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), also known Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in its more advanced stages, is a severe and potentially life-threatening skin disorder that results in cell death and causes large areas of the skin to separate from the body and slough off in sheets. The most common symptoms of SJS include the following:

• Facial swelling
• Tongue swelling
• Severe hives
• Skin pain
• Severe shedding of skin
• Flu-like symptoms
• Severe burning sensation of the skin
• Blisters on the eyes, mouth, nose or genital areas
• Severe red or purplish rash that spreads

Patients suffering from Avelox Stevens Johnson Syndrome typically present with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, fatigue or sore throat, and over the course of a few days (or even hours or minutes), an antibiotic rash or skin lesions may begin to form over the body.

SJS generally affects the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes and throat, which can lead to blindness and damage to internal organs, and as the condition progresses, the skin will literally slough off in sheets.

SJS can also attack other parts of the body besides the skin. Blisters may also form on the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes or genitals. Eye symptoms can lead to inflammation, tissue damage or scarring, possibly ending in blindness. Fingernails and toenails may fall out. The loss of outer skin leads to loss of fluid and electrolytes and puts the patient at risk for skin infections and sepsis.

Treatment generally requires hospitalization, sometimes in an intensive care unit or burn unit due to the similarities to burn symptoms.

In some cases of SJS, doctors may not be able to determine the exact cause of the skin disorder, but the most common cause of Stevens Johnson Syndrome is an allergic reaction to a prescription or over-the-counter medication, like Avelox.

SJS Lawsuits

If you or a loved one has taken Avelox and suffered from a severe antibiotic rash like Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, you may be entitled to compensation for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.