Herxheimer reaction
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Both Adolph Jarisch, an Australian dermatologist, and Karl Herxheimer, a German dermatologist, are credited with the discovery of the Herxheimer reaction.
The Herxheimer reaction (also known as Jarisch-Herxheimer or herx) occurs when large quantities of toxins are released into the body as bacteria (typically Spirochetal bacteria) die, often due to antibiotic treatment and rarely due to the use of colloidal silver. Typically the death of these bacteria and the associated release of endotoxins occurs faster than the body can remove the toxins via the natural detoxification process performed by the kidneys and liver.
Symptoms are typically influenza-like, with musculoskeletal pain and inflammation, nausea and gastrointestinal complaints and heavy perspiration, night sweats and fevers.
The Herxheimer reaction was first noted in the treatment of syphilis, as a response to antibiotic treatment killing off large numbers of organisms. It is also well documented in Lyme disease[1][2] and tick-borne relapsing fever[3], infections which, like syphilis, are both caused by spirochetal bacteria.
[edit] References
- ^ Maloy A, Black R, Segurola R. "Lyme disease complicated by the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.". J Emerg Med 16 (3): 437-8. PMID 9610974.
- ^ Lawrence C, Lipton R, Lowy F, Coyle P (1995). "Seronegative chronic relapsing neuroborreliosis.". Eur Neurol 35 (2): 113-7. PMID 7796837.
- ^ Dworkin M, Anderson D, Schwan T, Shoemaker P, Banerjee S, Kassen B, Burgdorfer W (1998). "Tick-borne relapsing fever in the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada.". Clin Infect Dis 26 (1): 122-31. PMID 9455520.
