Use of human immunoglobulins as an anti-infective treatment: the experience so far and their possible re-emerging role

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pooled human immunoglobulins (IGs) are prepared from plasma obtained from healthy donors as a concentrated antibody-containing solution. In addition, high-titer IGs (hyperimmune) against a specific pathogen can be obtained from vaccinated or convalescing donors. Currently, IGs can be used for the treatment of a variety of infections for which no specific therapy exists or that remain difficult to treat. Moreover, the recent pathogen outbreaks for which there is no approved treatment have renewed attention to the role of convalescent plasma and IGs.

Areas covered: In this review, a historical perspective of the use of sera and IGs in humans as anti-infective agents (any viral, bacterial, parasitic infection), excluding immunodeficient patients, is presented from early development to the latest clinical studies. A Medline search was conducted to examine the peer-reviewed literature, with no date limits.

Expert commentary: Human pooled plasma-derived IG products benefit from the polyclonal response of every individual donor and from the interindividual variability in such response. The trend to increased availability of vaccines for infectious diseases also opens new potential applications of hyperimmune IGs for emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases (e.g.: Ebola, Zika, Dengue), for the prevention and treatment in the general population, healthcare personnel and caregivers.

KEYWORDS:

• Emerging disease
• immunoglobulin
• infection
• outbreak
• plasma
• serum

Acknowledgments

Tam Nguyen-Cao (Grifols) is acknowledged for performing a bibliography search and classification. Sandra Serrano (Grifols) is acknowledged for editorial assistance. Carolyn Watson (Grifols) is acknowledged for her review of the text and helpful comments.

Declaration of interest

The authors are employed by Grifols, a manufacturer of IG and hyperimmune products. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.