noblood - Immune Serum Globulins

Immune serum globulins, or immunoglobulins (Ig), are proteins of the immune system that help in the fight against infection by viruses, bacteria and parasites. Also known as antibodies ; immune globulins are sometimes called gamma globulins.

Primary component of origin

Pooled human Plasma, though in some preparations animal immune globulins are used.

Percent of component

Rabies vaccines that meet FDA standards contain not less than 2.5 IU of rabies antigen per mL.

VZIG may use 625 units of varicella-zoster antibody per vial (in a volume of approximately 6.25 mL)

Production

Special Ig formulations are produced from donors with high levels of antibodies against a number of viral infections.

Medicinal Value

Injections of disease-specific serum globulins can provide immunity against hepatitis B (Hepatitis B Immune Globulin-HBIG), rabies (Rabies Immune Globulin-RIG), tetanus (Tetanus Immune Globulin-TIG) and varicella (chickenpox) (Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin-VZIG).

Risks

There is no evidence that Ig causes disease, despite several studies that have looked into this. No cases of AIDS have been due to the receipt of Ig. Shock-like reactions to intramuscularly administered Ig are rare.
Some Ig products, i.e. (Hepatitis B Immune Globulin vaccines) are prepared from human plasma and, like all plasma-derived products, the potential to transmit infectious agents cannot be totally eliminated.

Pharmaceuticals, found in

Hepatitis B vaccines:

Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) :
Nabi- HB, HepaGam B

HBV Recombinant (alone) :
Engerix-B®, Recombivax HB®

HBV in combination with Hib vaccine :
Comvax®

HBV in combination with DTaP and polio :
Pediarix

HBV in combination with HAV :
Twinrix®

Rabies vaccines:

Human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV) :
Imovax®, Imovax I.D.®

Purified chick embryo cell culture (PCEC) :
RabAvert®

Rabies Immune Globulins (RIG); given after exposure :
Imogam®

Tetanus vaccines:

DTaP, Tdap (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis) :
Infanrix®, Tripedia, Boostrix, Daptacel Adacel

DTaP in combination with Hib vaccine :
TriHIBit®

DTaP in combination with HBV and inactivated polio vaccines :
Pediarix

DT or Td (in combination with diphtheria vaccine) :
DT, Decavac

TT (Tetanus toxoid alone) :
Tetanus toxoid (for booster use), Tetanus Tox A

Tetanus Immune Globulin IM
(for use after injury in unvaccinated patients) :
Tetanus Immunoglobulin-VF IM

Varicella Virus Vaccines

Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella Virus Vaccine Live,(MMRV) :
ProQuad®, Varivax®

Zoster Vaccine Live :
Zostavax

Varicella-Zoster Immune Globulin:
VZIG

Global Pharmaceutical Listings :

Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Nordic, Spain, Switzerland, UK

Alternatives

Synthetic, or recombinant, antibodies are now being generated in the laboratory that can be used to diagnose and treat cancers and other diseases. With this technology, protein is synthesized in genetically engineered cell lines instead of being extracted from blood.

Factoids

Although early hepatitis B vaccines were plasma-derived, vaccines produced using recombinant DNA technology became available in 1986.

Some rabies vaccines contain human albumin, which is used as a stablizer.

Methods of prevention include: passive protection, usually given after exposure, in which antibodies to the virus are given to the patient; the other is active protection, or vaccination, which stimulates the body to produce its own protective antibodies.