What causes serum sickness in children?
Serum sickness is a type III hypersensitivity reaction mediated by immune complex deposition with subsequent complement activation. The classic syndrome is caused by immunization of the host by heterologous serum proteins.
What is the most common cause of serum sickness?
Currently, the most common cause of serum sickness and serum sickness–like is hypersensitivity reaction to drugs. Drugs containing proteins of other species include the following: Antitoxins.
Does serum sickness go away?
Prognosis/Possible Complications Serum sickness usually improves in 7 to 10 days, with full recovery in 2 to 4 weeks. However, it may lead to nervous system disorders and a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, so it is important to get medical treatment.
How common is serum sickness-like reaction?
Serum sickness-like reaction is most commonly seen in young children (< 6 years of age) following the use of cefaclor (an antibiotic). The risk of developing this reaction after taking cefaclor has been estimated to be 0.4% per drug course in Australia for children less than 6 years of age, and in the USA 0.2%.
What is the treatment for serum sickness?
Medicines, such as corticosteroids, applied to the skin may relieve discomfort from itching and a rash. Antihistamines may shorten the length of the illness and help ease a rash and itching. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, may relieve joint pain.
Is serum sickness serious?
While it can cause serious symptoms, serum sickness typically goes away on its own within a week to six weeks. If you’ve recently taken medication containing nonhuman proteins and are having symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Is serum sickness an autoimmune disease?
Serum sickness is an immune-complex-mediated hypersensitivity reaction that classically presents with fever, rash, polyarthritis or polyarthralgias. It was first recognized as an entity in the early 1900s in patients who had received heterologous antisera, which was historically used to treat infectious diseases.
How long does serum sickness reaction last?
Reactions are self-limited with full recovery in approximately one week. If symptoms occurred only a few hours after ingesting the Ibuprofen, it would be less likely to be the cause of a SSLR given the timing described. Amoxicillin would be the far more likely trigger based on the timeline provided.