By Disease Name > Serum Sickness

Serum Sickness

Top  Previous  Next
type III hypersensitivity reaction (immune complexes)

 

classically:

morbilliform, with or without urticaria
fever, malaise, arthralgias, arthritis
in true serum sickness, C3 and C4 levels decreased
most often associated with exposure to foreign proteins (ex. immune globulin, human diploid cell rabies vaccine)
typically 1-2 weeks after first exposure

 

ddx:

hypersensitivity syndrome (DRESS)
acute viral and drug induced serum sickness-like illness

 

 

 

Serum Sickness-Like Reactions

clinically similar: rash,  fever, arthralgias or myalgias
but almost certainly the result of different mechanisms
in contrast to true serum sickness: immune complexes, hypocomplementemia, vasculitis and renal lesions are uncommon
culprits: cephalosporins (esp. cefaclor), PCNs, sulfonamides, minocylcine, hepatitis B