Studies in the 1950’s and 1960’s indicated that complications of vaccination appeared to occur soon after vaccination and before significant antibody could be detected in the blood. As a result, C. Henry Kempe
and others developed the concept of providing antibody in the form of
gamma globulin.
Empiric evidence appeared to demonstrate that patients healed when Vaccinia Immune Globulin (VIG) was administered for certain complications. Vaccination and the occurrence of complications ceased in the early 1970’s and no definitive studies were carried out to determine the exact efficacy of VIG.
VIG was produced in the 1960’s from plasma obtained from recently vaccinated donors. It contained a high titer of anti-vaccinia
neutralizing antibody. Because it contained a high proportion of
aggregated protein it was administered solely by the intramuscular
route and could not be used intravenously. |
With the reinstitution of vaccination against smallpox, there is increased interest in the use of Vaccinia Immune Globulin. Vials of older VIG are stored at the CDC and are available only under IND protocols. An effort is underway to produce new lots that will meet the standards for intravenous immune globulin.
For information on administering VIG, please visit the Indications, Precautions and Contraindications page.
For up-to-date VIG information please visit the Current VIG Information
page. |
