Related Experiment Videos
Intravenous immunoglobins (IVIGs) to prevent and treat infectious diseases
1University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore 21201, USA.
The availability of IVIGs for the prevention and treatment of bacterial diseases has presented may challenges. While a role for prophylaxis against infection has been suggested for some conditions characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia (or physiologic hypogammaglobulinemia), it has been difficult to demonstrate a convincing effect when IVIG is used as treatment for infectious diseases. The development of IVIGs enriched in antibody against specific pathogens may yet show therapeutic efficacy, but cost effective strategies for generating such reagents must be defined.
The availability of IVIGs for the prevention and treatment of bacterial diseases has presented may challenges. While a role for prophylaxis against infection has been suggested for some conditions characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia (or physiologic hypogammaglobulinemia), it has been difficult to demonstrate a convincing effect when IVIG is used as treatment for infectious diseases. The development of IVIGs enriched in antibody against specific pathogens may yet show therapeutic efficacy, but cost effective strategies for generating such reagents must be defined.