In vitro and in vivo activities of different immunoglobulin G preparations from the rabbit against Enterobacteriaceae.

Specific rabbit IgG, prepared against three enterobacterial strains, was modified according to procedures used for the production of human IgG preparations suitable for intravenous infusion. The resulting products were examined for their in vitro opsonic and in vivo protective activity against the respective bacterial strains. A sulfonated IgG preparation (S-sIgG) and the enzymatically derived fragments F(ab')2 and Fab/Fc were opsonic in vitro and provided in vivo protection against lethal enterobacterial infection in mice. Protection by Fab fragments varied in the different in vivo models.