Serum Sickness

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Clinical-manifestations 3 Complications 4 Management 5 More General Terms 6 References

Introduction

• Unpleasant systemic side effects resulting from immune complex formation after injection of foreign serum into a patient ( type 3 hypersensitivity). Vascular, cutaneous, cardiac, renal & joint immune complex deposition may result. Symptoms may occur from days to 3 weeks after administration of foreign antisera.

Clinical-manifestations

• fever
• lymphadenopathy
• splenomegaly
• skin rash
• arthralgias
• myalgias

Complications

• glomerulonephritis
• hepatitis (uncommon)

Management

• symptomatic
• glucocorticoids

More General Terms

• type 3 hypersensitivity; immune complex hypersensitivity

References

1. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, FA Davis, Philadelphia, 1977
2. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998

serum sickness