Effect of immune globulin on the prevention of experimental hepatitis C virus infection.
The efficacy of postexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was studied in experimentally infected chimpanzees. Three chimpanzees were inoculated with HCV: Two were treated 1 h later with anti-HCV--negative intravenous immune globulin (IGIV) or hepatitis C immune globulin (HCIG), and a third animal was not treated. HCV infection was detected in all 3 animals within a few days of inoculation. Once passively transferred anti-HCV declined in the HCIG-treated animal, there was an increase of HCV antigen (Ag)--positive hepatocytes followed by reappearance of anti-HCV; HCV Ag disappeared concordant with the development of acute hepatitis. Acute hepatitis C developed in both the IGIV-treated and untreated chimpanzees, with peak liver enzyme activity on day 59, but was delayed in the HCIG-treated animal until day 146. Postexposure HCIG treatment markedly prolonged the incubation period of acute hepatitis C but did not prevent or delay HCV infection. IGIV had no effect on the course of HCV infection.
Krawczynski
K
K
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Alter
M J
MJ
Tankersley
D L
DL
Beach
M
M
Robertson
B H
BH
Lambert
S
S
Kuo
G
G
Spelbring
J E
JE
Meeks
E
E
Sinha
S
S
Carson
D A
DA
D000818:Animals; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000254:growth & development; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins