Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction

noun

A dangerous reaction to endotoxin-like products released by the death of harmful microorganisms within the body during antibiotic treatment.

Meanings

nounJarisch-Herxheimer reaction (plural Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions)

plural Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions

  1. medicineA dangerous reaction to endotoxin-like products released by the death of harmful microorganisms within the body during antibiotic treatment.

Origin

Named after the Austrian dermatologist Adolf Jarisch and the German dermatologist Karl Herxheimer.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jarisch-Herxheimer%20reaction

MLA

“Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jarisch-Herxheimer%20reaction. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jarisch-Herxheimer%20reaction.

Source: Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.