According to a new report of a woman based in Spain, she developed a serious allergic reaction followed by a sexual encounter, that may have been caused by her partner’s semen.
The 31-year old woman claimed that she experienced difficult breathing, vomiting and broke out in hives after engaging in oral sex with her 32-year old male partner. The woman was diagnosed with a serious, life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. The most common reactions are to foods, insect sings, latex and medication. The woman stated she wasn’t taking any medication or consumed any unusual food that may have prompted the reaction. However, her partner was taking antibiotics that contained amoxicillin for an ear infection. Amoxicillin is linked to penicillin, and the woman had a penicillin allergy as mentioned to doctors.
It has been reported that is likely the cause of the reaction was generated by the amoxicillin concentrate in her partner’s semen. Even though semen allergies are rare, there have been previously reported. In some occasions, people have been found to be allergic to proteins or drugs found in men’s seminal fluids. According to the General Hospital of Alicante in Spain, amoxicillin could become quite concentrated in men’s semen. This was the first anaphylaxis case reported that was caused by amoxicillin.
Medications including epinephrine was given to the woman to treat her allergic reaction. Within 6 hours, she was able to breathe normally and in a weeks’ time she was fully recovered.
It couldn’t be definitively proved that the semen containing amoxicillin was the cause of her reaction as the woman didn’t show up on her scheduled follow up appointment. Although, it seems to be the most probable cause.
Discussion on internet forums have been found among people troubled that they could have an allergic reaction to drugs in their partner’s semen. “We think that as clinicians it is important to be aware of this phenomenon … to inform and prevent potentially serious reactions in sensitized patients,” the authors wrote. They also recommended condom use during sex if one partner is taking drugs that the other is very allergic to.
