Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Carrier State in Neonates
Prophylaxis With Large Doses of Conventional Immune Human Serum Globulin
- Rajiv R. Varma, MD
Abstract
Acute type B viral hepatitis developed near the term of pregnancy in seven women. All had signs of acute hepatitis at delivery, and hepatitis B surface antigenemia persisted two to four weeks after delivery. Two milliliters of conventional immune human serum globulin was administered to the neonates within a week of birth, after preexisting type B viral hepatitis infection was excluded. The antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) content of two of the administered batches of immune human serum globulin was 1:32 and 1:64. None of the babies became hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, and anti-HBs developed without obvious clinical hepatitis in one baby. Conventional immune human serum globulin in larger doses may be a relatively safe and effective prophylaxis against the development of hepatitis B surface antigen carrier state even if the anti-HBs content in the administered dose is relatively small.
(JAMA 236:2302-2304, 1976)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to the Section of Gastroenterology, the Medical College of Wisconsin, 8700 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226 (Dr Varma).
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Presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Federation of Clinical Research, Atlantic City, NJ, May 1-4, 1976.
