Peripheral Plasmacytosis in Serum Sickness
Authors: JOHN J. SCHMIDT
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1963)

Case Studies1 October 1963Peripheral Plasmacytosis in Serum SicknessJOHN J. SCHMIDT, M.D., HAROLD J. ROBINSON, M.D., CHARLES S. PENNYPACKER, M.D., F.A.C.P.JOHN J. SCHMIDT, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, HAROLD J. ROBINSON, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, CHARLES S. PENNYPACKER, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-59-4-542 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe appearance of plasma cells in the peripheral blood in appreciable numbers is an uncommon event. More seriously, this occurrence is a sign of proliferative disease of the plasma cell system. Peripheral plasmacytosis may also occur in certain viral diseases (1-4). A third situation so characterized is serum sickness (5). With the widespread use of active immunization and the introduction of antibiotics, the incidence of true serum sickness has waned. Therefore, it is deemed important to report a case of severe, explosive, accelerated serum sickness that was accompanied by a reactive peripheral plasmacytosis. Coincident with this, there was a demonstration...References1. HALBROOK AA: The blood picture in chickenpox. Arch. Intern. Med. (Chicago) 68: 294, 1941. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2. HICKLING RA: The existence of haemic plasma cells in various infective conditions. J. Hyg. 24: 120, 1925. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. HILLENBRAND FK: The blood picture in rubella. Lancet 2: 66, 1956. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. WOLF P: The significance of proplasmacytes and atypical plasma cells in the benign lymphocytic meningitis syndrome. Blood 9: 971, 1954. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. RAFFEL S: Immunity, 2nd ed., Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., New York, 1961, p. 296. Google Scholar6. 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GOOD RA: Morphologic basis of the immune response and hypersensitivity, in Hostparasite Relationships in Living Cells, edited by FELTON, H. M., Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Ill., 1957, p. 78. Google Scholar13. GORMSENHEINTZELMANN HF: Undersgelser over saenkningsreaktionens serumproteinernes og sternalpunktates forhold ved serumsygdom. Nord. Med. 11: 2125, 1941. Google Scholar14. LEYFITZGERALD DCJD: Changes in the white blood cell and bone marrow morphology and serum protein fractions in induced and spontaneous hypersensitivity states. J. Allerg. 28: 220, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar15. STAVITSKY AB: In vitro studies of the antibody response, in advances, in Immunology, Vol. I, edited by TALIAFERRO, W. H., and HUMPHREY, J. H., Academic Press, New York, 1961, p. 232. Google Scholar16. ROSEREISMANWITEBSKYARBESMAN NRREECE: Serum sickness III Characterization of Antigens. J. Allerg. 33: 250, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaFrom the Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, The John S. Sharpe Research Foundation and the Department of Medicine of the Bryn Mawr Hospital.Dr. Schmidt completed this work on a Postdoctoral Fellowship of the National Cancer Institute, United States Public Health Service, Bethesda, Maryland.Requests for reprints should be addressed to John J. Schmidt, M.D., Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, The Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.Dr. Pennypacker died August 24, 1963. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByAcalculous cholecystitis mimicking plasma cell leukemiaDengue Fever Mimicking Plasma Cell LeukemiaClinical complications of heterologous antisera administrationMarked Plasmacytosis and Immunoglobulin Abnormalities Following Infusion of StreptokinaseReactive Plasmacytosis Complicated with Drug-induced PancytopeniaHypersensitivity reaction to Sulfasalazine with Severe HepatotoxicityCase 21-1967Immunologic Studies in Patients with Serum Sickness-Like Reactions Following Penicillin Therapy**From the Department of Dermatology of the New York University School of Medicine, New York, N.Y. 1 October 1963Volume 59, Issue 4Page: 542-546KeywordsClinical pathologyDiphtheriaFellowshipsHospital medicineMedical servicesPathology and laboratory medicinePlasma cellsResearch laboratoriesVaccination and immunizationViral diseases Issue Published: 1 October 1963 PDF DownloadLoading ...