Serum sickness is best described as what?

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Prepare for the NBME Form 11 Test with targeted flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to aid learning. Boost your readiness for exam day!

Multiple Choice

Serum sickness is best described as what?

Explanation:
Serum sickness is an example of a type III hypersensitivity reaction, where circulating antigen–antibody immune complexes form after exposure to a foreign protein or certain drugs. These immune complexes deposit in tissues such as blood vessels, joints, and kidneys, activate complement, and trigger an inflammatory response. This leads to a systemic illness with fever, malaise, rash, arthralgias, and sometimes nephritis, rather than a localized or immediate reaction. It is not due to an infection and does not represent an immediate hypersensitivity.

Serum sickness is an example of a type III hypersensitivity reaction, where circulating antigen–antibody immune complexes form after exposure to a foreign protein or certain drugs. These immune complexes deposit in tissues such as blood vessels, joints, and kidneys, activate complement, and trigger an inflammatory response. This leads to a systemic illness with fever, malaise, rash, arthralgias, and sometimes nephritis, rather than a localized or immediate reaction. It is not due to an infection and does not represent an immediate hypersensitivity.

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