Nigeria on high alert over Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Nigeria on high alert over Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

The Federal Government yesterday raised fresh concerns over the Stevens-Johnson syndrome and called for greater alertness to curb the ailment.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is described as a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes.

Officials said it is usually a reaction to a medication or an infection and often, Stevens-Johnson syndrome with flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful red or purplish rash that spreads and blisters. Then the top layer of the affected skin dies and sheds.

It is said to be a medical emergency that usually requires hospitalisation. Treatment focuses on eliminating the underlying cause, controlling symptoms and minimising complications.

In a release yesterday, Minister of Health, Prof.Isaac Adewole, asked the public to be more careful in the use of medications.

Adewole said the development had become necessary considering how a sibling of marathoner, Fedeshola Adedayo, died of the ailment.

Stevens–Johnson syndrome, a form of toxic epidermal necrolysis, is a life-threatening skin condition, in which cell death causes the epidermis to separate from the dermis. The syndrome is thought to be a hypersensitivity complex that affects the skin and the mucous membranes. The most well-known causes are certain medications (such as lamotrigine), but it can also be due to infections, or more rarely, cancers.

Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a milder form of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). These conditions were first recognised in 1922.

SJS usually begins with fever, sore throat, and fatigue, which is commonly misdiagnosed and therefore treated with antibiotics. Ulcers and other lesions begin to appear in the mucous membranes, almost always in the mouth and lips, but also in the genital and anal regions. Those in the mouth are usually extremely painful and reduce the patient's ability to eat or drink. Conjunctivitis of the eyes occurs in about 30% of children who develop SJS.[medical citation needed] A rash of round lesions about an inch across arises on the face, trunk, arms and legs, and soles of the feet, but usually not the scalp.

SJS is thought to arise from a disorder of the immune system. The immune reaction can be triggered by drugs or infections. Genetic factors are associated with a predisposition to SJS. The cause of SJS is unknown in one-quarter to one-half of cases.