Serum sickness was first identified when serum antitoxin (to tetanus or diphtheria toxins) developed in animals was injected into humans.
Mechanism: immune complex formation following exposure to antigen (Type III hypersensitivity reaction)
Antigen sources:
(1) serum (containing albumin or other antigenic proteins) from non-human mammals
(2) infectious agents
(3) drugs
Onset: usually 7 to 12 days after first exposure to antigenic source, may be up to 6 weeks
The onset may occur after the antigenic source has been discontinued (if the antigen has a long half-life).
Clinical findings:
(1) fever
(2) joint pain
(3) urticaria and/or skin rash
(4) malaise
(5) lymphadenopathy
(6) myalgias
(7) angioedema
(8) variable glomerulonephritis
(9) variable hypersensitivity vasculitis, especially with chronic exposure
(10) variable myocarditis
Laboratory findings:
(1) circulating immune complexes
(2) complement activation with decreased plasma levels
(3) immune complex deposits at sites of inflammatory response
Continued exposure can result in a chronic disorder.
Purpose: To evaluate a patient for clinical findings seen in serum sickness.
Specialty: Immunology/Rheumatology
Objective: clinical diagnosis, including family history for genetics
ICD-10: T80.6,