Channel: Alila Medical Media

Category: Education

Tags: treatmentbasic of the immune systemmedicalpathologysigns and symptomsantivenomclassical complement pathwayinflammatory responseskinimmunityhealthcarepathophysiologycausesimmune systeminflammatory chemicalslecturehypersensitivity disordersimmunologysstrue serum sicknessautoimmuneimmune disordershivesmechanism of actionallergyhealthswellingantigensprognosisversusallergensanimationetiologyvaccineimmunizationanimatedconditionsvsvaccination

Description: Serum Sickness and Serum Sickness-Like Reactions, SSLRs. This video is available for instant download licensing here: alilamedicalmedia.com/-/galleries/all-animations/immune-and-lymphatic-system-videos/-/medias/d94a3cdd-049d-4b26-b7d4-837635f2b73d-serum-sickness-narrated-animation ©Alila Medical Media. All rights reserved. Voice by : Marty Henne Support us on Patreon and get early access to videos and free image downloads: patreon.com/AlilaMedicalMedia All images/videos by Alila Medical Media are for information purposes ONLY and are NOT intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Serum sickness is a rare allergic reaction to foreign proteins, typically antibodies, used for medical treatment or immunization. Symptoms present as rash, fever and multiple-joint pain or arthritis. Common triggers include anti-venoms, monoclonal antibodies used to treat immune conditions or infections, and antisera used for passive vaccination against diseases such as tetanus and rabies. True serum sickness is a delayed type III hypersensitivity reaction. It occurs when a patient develops antibodies against a foreign serum protein, which, for the first exposure, takes 1 to 2 weeks. This period is shortened to a couple of days in patients previously sensitized to the antigen. The antibodies bind to protein antigens, forming antibody-antigen complexes. If allowed to accumulate, these immune complexes are deposited in various body tissues. As a result, the complement system is activated and inflammation is triggered, causing damage to the affected tissue. Common sites of deposition include the walls of blood vessels and synovial joint fluid. Severe cases may also involve damage to the kidneys, or nerves. There are also Serum Sickness-Like Reactions, SSLRs, which are more common, especially in children. SSLRs have a similar but less severe clinical presentation, and do not involve immune-complex formation. They are triggered by non-protein medications, most commonly antibiotics, certain infections, immunizations and chemicals. Unlike serum sickness, which may develop systemic symptoms, SSLRs are limited to the skin and joints. Serum sickness and serum sickness-like reactions are generally self-limited. Treatment consists of identifying and removing the offending agent, or reducing exposure to it if complete removal is not possible; and to relieve symptoms. The condition generally resolves within a couple of weeks following removal of the offending agent.