Serum sickness
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Serum sickness
Serum sickness is an unusual reaction to any foreign substance in the body. Venom from insect stings or spider bites and medications such as penicillin are common causes of this reaction.
Symptoms of serum sickness usually begin between 7 and 14 days after the person is exposed to the substance. A person usually feels generally unwell (malaise) and may have hives, joint pain, fever, headache, and swollen glands.
Having an episode of serum sickness puts a person at high risk of developing a severe allergic reaction if he or she is exposed to the same substance in the future. A person should avoid any medication related to serum sickness after it has been identified. Venom immunotherapy may be an option to protect against insect or spider bites that caused the reaction.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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