Efficaciousness of immunoglobulin G prophylaxis on mortality and physiological variables in gram-negative peritonitis in rodents.

A rapidly expanding role involving the use of immunoglobulin preparations in conditions other than the classical immunodeficiency syndromes is evident in recent years. Treatment with immunoglobulin may be especially important during infection in which specific antibody to pathogens has been consumed, degraded, or not produced and in cases in which antibiotic treatment is ineffective. Recent studies in animals and humans support this concept, although further studies are needed to fully develop it. This study was completed to explore possible beneficial effects of prophylactic treatment of rodents during severe Salmonella typhimurium peritonitis with a newly developed native immunoglobulin G preparation for intravenous use (IGIV pH 4.25). This study demonstrates that IGIV pH 4.25 increases survival time and decreases absolute mortality, prevents hypotension and acidosis, and ameliorates or prevents changes in variables indicative of organ damage during S. typhimurium bacteremia in the rat. Studies in mice indicate that protection is mediated by antibody to cell surface antigen (s) of S. typhimurium.