Definition:
Serum sickness is a type of delayed sensitivity response. It usually appears four to ten days after exposure to the triggering substance which can be either antibiotics or antiserum. Antiserum is the portion of the serum containing antibodies like gamma globulin.
Allergic reactions have rapid response while serum sickness reaction is delayed because it takes a long time for the body to produce antibodies to the new protein.
Diagnosis:
Symptoms present and careful analysis of the patient's medical and medication history will help in diagnosing serum sickness.
Treatment:
The fundamental and most important step in treating serum sickness is to discontinue the substance or drug triggering the reaction. Though, symptoms may fade away on its own, still necessary precautions would be highly beneficial.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms may appear within four to fourteen days after exposure to the triggering substance. The following are general symptoms of serum sickness:
• Rashes as a result of severe skin reaction
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Swollen lymph node
• Extremely low blood pressure
• Enlargement of the spleen
• Shock
• Blood and protein presence in the urine as demonstrated by means of urine analysis
• Breathing difficulty
• Changes in vision in some cases
Causes:
The cause of serum sickness is exposure to antibodies that come from animals, antitoxins and certain drugs such as barbiturates, penicillins and quinidine.
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