Serum Sickness Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Hassan M Alissa, MD; Chief Editor: Herbert S Diamond, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 30, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Problems to be considered in the differential diagnosis of serum sickness include the following:

  • Dermatitis herpetiformis
  • Henoch-Schönlein purpura
  • Microscopic polyangiitis
  • Shunt nephritis
  • Still disease

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Hassan M Alissa, MD  Fellow in Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center

Hassan M Alissa, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Susan M Chen, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center

Susan M Chen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francis Counselman, MD, FACEP  Chair, Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Francis Counselman, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM), Norfolk Academy of Medicine, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Elaine Adams, MD  Associate Chief of Staff, Chief of Rheumatology Section, Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital; Professor of Medicine, Loyola University School of Medicine

Elaine Adams, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rochella Abaygar Ostrowski, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Loyola University Medical Center; Staff Physician, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Edward Hines Jr Veterans Affairs Hospital

Rochella Abaygar Ostrowski, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard Hariman, MD  Assistant Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Medical College of Wisconsin

Richard Hariman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Matthew M Rice, MD, JD, FACEP  Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Northwest Emergency Physicians of TeamHealth; Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine

Matthew M Rice, MD, JD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, National Association of EMS Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Washington State Medical Association

Disclosure: Team Health Salary Employment

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Elliot Goldberg, MD  Dean of the Western Pennsylvania Clinical Campus, Professor, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine

Elliot Goldberg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Erik D Schraga, MD  Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mills-Peninsula Emergency Medical Associates

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Herbert S Diamond, MD  Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Chairman Emeritus, Department of Internal Medicine, Western Pennsylvania Hospital

Herbert S Diamond, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology, American Medical Association, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Merck Ownership interest Other; Smith Kline Ownership interest Other; Zimmer Ownership interest Other

References

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  17. Abraham E, Wunderink R, Silverman H, et al. Efficacy and safety of monoclonal antibody to human tumor necrosis factor alpha in patients with sepsis syndrome. A randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial. TNF-alpha MAb Sepsis Study Group. JAMA. Mar 22-29 1995;273(12):934-41. [Medline].

  18. Karliner JS, Belaval GS. Incidence of reactions following administration of antirabies serum; study of 526 cases. JAMA. Aug 2 1965;193:359-62. [Medline].

  19. Lawley TJ, Frank MM. Immune complexes and allergic diseases. In: Middleton E Jr, ed. Allergy Principles and Practice. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 1993:990.

 
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