Shwartzman phenomenon is a rare reaction of a body to particular types of

toxins A toxin is a naturally occurring poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived ...

, called

endotoxins Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), now more commonly known as endotoxin, is a collective term for components of the outermost membrane of the cell envelope of gram-negative bacteria, such as '' E. coli'' and ''Salmonella'' with a common structural archit ...

, which cause

thrombosis Thrombosis () is the formation of a Thrombus, blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel (a vein or an artery) is injured, the body uses platelets (thrombocytes) and fib ...

in the affected tissue. A clearing of the thrombosis results in a reticuloendothelial blockade, which prevents re-clearing of the thrombosis caused by a repeat introduction of the toxin. That will cause tissue

necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. The term "necrosis" came about in the mid-19th century and is commonly attributed to German pathologist Rudolf Virchow, who i ...

. Shwartzman phenomenon is usually observed during delivery or abortion, when foreign bodies are introduced into the tissues of the female

reproductive system The reproductive system of an organism, also known as the genital system, is the biological system made up of all the anatomical organs involved in sexual reproduction. Many non-living substances such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones are al ...

. The Shwartzman phenomenon is named for Gregory Shwartzman, the doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

who was the first to develop the concept of

immune system The immune system is a network of biological systems that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to bacteria, as well as Tumor immunology, cancer cells, Parasitic worm, parasitic ...

hypersensitivity in the 1920s. This reaction was experimented using ''Neisseria meningitidis'' endotoxin. A related observation was made by Giuseppe Sanarelli leading to the term Sanarelli-Shwartzman phenomenon, however many modern works use more generic terms such as

disseminated intravascular coagulation Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a condition in which blood clots form throughout the body, blocking Microvessel, small blood vessels. Symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, leg pain, problems speaking, or problems ...

. This is notably seen with ''Neisseria meningitidis''.First Aid for the USMLE. 2009.

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{{Medical resources , DiseasesDB = 31433 , ICD10 = , ICD9 = , ICDO = , OMIM = , MedlinePlus = , eMedicineSubj = , eMedicineTopic = , MeshID = D012790 Toxicology