Mumps virus isolated from a fetus.

Treatment was started with Benoral Suspension 10 ml twice daily, and steroid treatment was begun two days later at a dose of 30 mg of enteric-coated prednisolone daily. Good clinical control of the polyarthropathy enabled the steroid dosage to be reduced to 5 mg twice daily after 10 days, by which time erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 21 mm in the first hour and the rash had largely cleared. She was discharged taking enteric-coated prednisolone 5 mg twice daily and naproxen 500 mg in the morning with food. Steroids were reduced over the next three months and all medication then stopped; tests for rheumatoid factor remained negative and both the rash and joint symptoms resolved completely. Comment We considered that this was a serum sickness type 3 reaction, probably due to the hair straightener. The straightener was later found to contain a total of 14 compounds, of which either hydrolysed animal protein or protamine nucleic acid complex may have been the precipitating factor in this case. Serum sickness due to hair straightener has not previously been reported, and the consumer safety unit at the Department of Trade, the Health and Safety Commission, and the manufacturers of the product are not aware of any similar cases.