Serum Sickness Syndrome Reaction

Serum sickness syndrome was first recognized in the pre antibiotic era when heterologous antiserum was used as passive immunization for treatment of a number of infectious and toxic illnesses. Today, specific serum therapy with heterologous (usually equine) serum or gamma globulin is restricted to passive immunization for a very few toxic diseases and the use of antilymphocyte (ALG) or antithymocyte (ATG) globulin for immunosuppressive therapy. This is not applicable to active immunization. (more…)