Vaccines and antibody immunotherapy in surgical patients

Immunoprophylaxis of infectious complications in surgical patients is currently practiced and is efficacious for disease caused by Clostridium tetani, rabies virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and hepatitis B virus. Evidence exists that immunoprophylaxis and treatment of herpes viruses as well as gram-negative pathogens is possible, although extensive clinical testing will be required to establish immunotherapy as a effective clinical treatment modality for the control of disease caused by these agents. Advances in our understanding of the host immune response and the ways in which it may be stimulated or supplemented should provide the means to further reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by a variety of pathogenic microbial agents.