Clinicians urge antibiotic safety warnings following severe allergic reaction after sex

Clinicians are calling for patient information leaflets to be updated after a woman experienced a life threatening allergic reaction to an antibiotic present in her partner's semen following sexual intercourse, New Scientist reported. The clinicians also requested that healthcare workers be trained on these specific risks. [1]

Antibiotics, which are antimicrobial substances used to fight bacterial infections by killing or inhibiting bacteria, can pass into human tissues and fluids. According to New Scientist, medications such as amoxicillin can enter the glands responsible for producing the majority of semen fluid. [1][2]

Medical experts noted that drug leaflets already detail numerous extremely rare risks. New Scientist reported that clinicians consider it reasonable to add the risk of semen transmitted antibiotic reactions to patient documentation alongside other rare side effects. [1]