title: Role of immune serum globulins in pregnant women during an epidemic of hepatitis E.
abstract: The efficacy of an Indian preparation of immune serum globulins (ISG) was evaluated among pregnant women during an epidemic of hepatitis E in Karad, Western India from January to March 1993. Ten of 55 women receiving ISG developed immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) during the 1 month of follow-up compared with 18 out of 53 control subjects. Although the total number of recent HEV infections was significantly less in the ISG-treated group, no significant difference could be shown in the proportion of clinical hepatitis E cases because of the very small numbers of patients who developed clinical disease. The observed marginal beneficial effect of ISG might be the result of a low immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-HEV IgG titre (1:500) of the ISG preparation used. Preparation and testing of high-titred ISG should be a high priority for protecting pregnant women during epidemics of hepatitis E.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Virology, Pune, India.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Arankalle
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chadha
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Dama
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tsarev
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007106:Immune Sera; D007136:Immunoglobulins