Serum Disease (Noun)
Meaning
A delayed allergic reaction to the injection of an antiserum caused by an antibody reaction to an antigen in the donor serum.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Serum disease is an adverse reaction that may occur when foreign proteins in donated antiserum interact with a patient's immune system.
- Antisera that have been poorly produced can induce a strong reaction resulting in serum disease, posing serious risks to recipients.
- He began showing signs of serum disease days after the antiserum injection, a delayed reaction the doctor attributed to an extreme immune system response.
- Nonhuman animal-derived antisera are no longer commonly used in medical settings because of the high risk of causing serum disease.
- Researchers have long acknowledged the risk of serum disease from certain antiserum preparations, leading to efforts to develop alternatives.