Prevention of Varicella by Zoster Immune Globulin

Abstract

Zoster immune globulin (ZIG) was found, in a double-blind study, to prevent varicella if a 2-ml dose was given to susceptible children within 72 hours of household exposure. Chicken pox developed in each of six households in the child who received human immune serum globulin, whereas no clinical manifestations appeared in his sibling who received ZIG. Moreover, none of the ZIG recipients had a rise in Varicella Zoster (V-Z) serum antibody after exposure, suggesting that infection had been prevented rather than modified. ZIG was prepared from plasma of patients convalescing from herpes zoster who had a V-Z complement-fixing antibody titer of 1:256 or higher. It may be useful in the prevention of varicella in children with cancer, children who are receiving steroid or antimetabolite therapy, newborn infants and susceptible adults.