Antibody-based therapies in infectious diseases

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical History

Background:

• Before the advent of antibiotics, immune sera were utilized for treating various infectious diseases.
• Serum therapy was integrated into standard treatments for meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and pneumonia in the early 20th century.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the historical use and efficacy of serum therapy for infectious diseases.
• To highlight the successes and limitations of early immune serum treatments.

Main Methods:

• Historical review of medical literature and clinical trial data concerning serum therapy.
• Analysis of treatment outcomes for specific infectious diseases using immune sera.

Main Results:

• Antimeningococcal serum showed limited efficacy due to serotype specificity (effective against Type A, not Type C).
• Type-specific antipneumococcal serum reduced lobar pneumonia mortality by approximately 50%.
• Successful applications were noted for Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, measles, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, poliovirus, and cytomegalovirus infections.

Conclusions:

• Immune sera demonstrated significant therapeutic potential for various infections prior to antibiotics.
• Challenges such as lot-to-lot variability, serum sickness, and disease transmission risks limited widespread adoption and required further research.