2024.12.07
December 4 is Serum Therapy Day.
December 4 is “Serum Therapy Day”. Serum therapy is defined as “treatment by administering serum containing artificially produced polyclonal antibodies.”
On December 4, 1890, Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato and Dr. Emil von Behring jointly published a paper on serum therapy for diphtheria and tetanus.
The clarification of the existence of antibodies (antivenoms) contained in serum through this paper and the establishment of serum therapy as a treatment for infectious diseases were extremely groundbreaking. The establishment of serum therapy led to the subsequent development of vaccines for tetanus and diphtheria. Tetanus and diphtheria have been drastically reduced by vaccines, and they are rarely seen in modern Japan.
Serum therapy is still an active treatment after 134 years. It is rare to find a treatment with such a long history. Serum therapy is currently used to treat patients who have been bitten by venomous snakes, venomous spiders, poisonous marine organisms, etc., as well as patients with diphtheria, gas gangrene, botulism, tetanus, etc. It is still saving the lives of many people.
Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato is known as the “father of modern medicine” and has appeared as a portrait on the new 1,000-yen bill since July 2024. He is known for his many achievements in the field of bacteriology and his contribution to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
If you want to know more, we also recommend the following articles.
Old and New Serum Therapy