Immunoglobulin

From Ganfyd

• Antibodies
• Blood products containing antibodies.

Blood Product

Immunoglobulin (commonly referred to as "human normal immunoglobulin" or "HNIG") is occasionally used to protect vulnerable individuals (by providing "passive immunity") against certain infectious diseases. In England, immunoglobulin can be obtained from or via the Health Protection Agency - see their Immunoglobulin Handbook page.

There is an immunoglobulin demand management scheme which requires clinicians to use the products for approved indications and notify use in a national database - most potentially problematical for human normal immunoglobulin as other products are indication specific

Immunoglobulins

IgA

IgE

IgG

IgM

Therapeutic Immunoglobulins

Normal immunoglobulin

Human normal immunoglobulin (HNIG) is prepared from pooled donations and may be used to protect susceptible contacts against common viruses such as hepatitis A, measles, mumps and rarely rubella. There is the potential for biological contamination or as with Octagam^® in 2010 where thromboembolic reactions occurred, unexpected events probably related to processing affecting other plasma proteins.

Hepatitis B immunoglobulin

HBIG is used to protect an individual exposed to the Hepatitis B.

Rabies immunoglobulin

Usually administered around the cleaned wound followed by vaccination.

Snake envenomation

Anti-sera exists but is likely to easily obtainable only for endemic species.

Tetanus immunoglobulin

Antibodies against the tetanus toxoid prevents tetanus in patients not previously innoculated against tetanus toxoid or have developed frank tetanus.

Anti-D(Rh₀) immunoglobulin (Rhesus D immunoglobulin)

Designed to target Rhesus D positive erythrocytes than may be transferred from a baby to its Rhesus negative mother during pregnancy. The Anti-D immunoglobulin targets and neutralises the Rhesus D antigen. This prevents the mother's immune system from encountering the antigen and protects any further Rhesus positive babies that the mother may have.

Varicella-Zoster immunoglobulin

Cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin