Serum sickness
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Clinic
- Serum sickness in humans is a reaction to proteins in antiserum derived from a non-human animal source, occurring 5–10 days after exposure.
- It is a type of hypersensitivity, specifically immune complex hypersensitivity (type III).
- erum sickness–like reaction (SSLR) is occasionally used to refer to similar illnesses that arise from the introduction of certain non-protein substances, such as penicillin.
Signs / Symptoms
- Rashes and Redness
- Itching and Urticaria
- Arthralgia, esp in finger and toe joints.
- Fever, usually appears before rash
- Lymphadenopathy particularly near the site of injection.
- Malaise.
Other symptoms include
- Glomerulonephritis
- Hematuria
- Splenomegaly
- Hypotension and circulatory shock.
Complications
- Neuritis
- Myocarditis
- Laryngeal oedema
- Pleurisy
- Guillain–Barré syndrome
Causes
- Serum sickness is a type III hypersensitivity reaction, caused by immune complexes. When an antiserum is given, the human immune system can mistake the proteins present for harmful antigens. The body produces antibodies, which combine with these proteins to form immune complexes. These complexes precipitate, enter the walls of blood vessels, and activate the complement cascade, initiating an inflammatory response and consuming much of the available complement component 3 (C3). They can be found circulating in the blood, which differentiates serum sickness from serum sickness-like reaction.
- The result is a leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
- This results in hypocomplementemia, a low C3 level in serum. They can also cause more reactions, causing the typical symptoms of serum sickness. This is similar to a generalised Arthus reaction.
Differential diagnosis[edit]
Similar skin symptoms may be caused by lupus, erythema multiforme, and hives.
Entity / Miasms
- Urticaria
- Lymphadenopathy
- Splenomegally
- Nephritis
- GBS
EBV, HAV, HBV