TYPE III HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION

Course overview

A HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION IS AN INAPPROPRIATE OR OVERREACTIVE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO AN ANTIGEN RESULTING IN UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS. THE SYMPTOMS TYPICALLY APPEAR IN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD AT LEAST ONE PREVIOUS EXPOSURE TO THE ANTIGEN. THE PRINCIPLE FEATURE THAT SEPARATES TYPE III REACTIONS FROM OTHER HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS IS THAT IN TYPE III REACTIONS, THE ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY COMPLEXES ARE PRE-FORMED IN THE CIRCULATION BEFORE THEIR DEPOSITION IN TISSUES. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT DISEASES OF TYPE III HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.