diff --git a/app/utils/results.py b/app/utils/results.py
index 0c04b76..c239a28 100644
--- a/app/utils/results.py
+++ b/app/utils/results.py
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ def bold_search_terms(response: str, query: str) -> BeautifulSoup:
         if len(element) == len(target_word):
             return
 
+        if not target_word.isalnum():
+            return
+
         element.replace_with(
             re.sub(fr'\b((?![{{}}<>-]){target_word}(?![{{}}<>-]))\b',
                    r'<b>\1</b>',