Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction Is Common But Transient Immune Response Following Benzathine Penicillin G Treatment For Early Syphilis, Analysis Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (5/14, Kuhns) reports that researchers have found that “the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (JHR) is a common but transient immune response following benzathine penicillin G treatment for early syphilis, particularly among individuals with secondary syphilis.” The investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a prespecified secondary analysis of a randomized phase 4 clinical trial...to prospectively assess the incidence of JHR symptoms in adults with early syphilis following standard antibiotic therapy with benzathine penicillin G.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.