Effects of homologous or heterologous antiserum on neutralizing-antibody response to rabies vaccine.
Year: 1968
Type: article
Abstract: Heterologous antirabies serum is commonly used in the treatment of persons exposed to rabies. However, the high incidence of serum sickness which accompanies its use has prompted work to develop a homologous human product. As human antirabies serum is expensive and difficult to obtain in large quantities, a series of experiments was done on guinea-pigs to test the effects of homologous and heterologous antirabies serum.Similar amounts of homologous and heterologous antisera administered to guinea-pigs produced similar circulating neutralization titres one day later. The homologous antibody titres, however, decreased more slowly than the heterologous antibody titres.When homologous antiserum was given, followed by duck-embryo rabies vaccine, an apparent response to the vaccine was suppressed or delayed longer than when heterologous antiserum and vaccine were administered. However, when homologous antiserum was given with suckling-mouse-brain vaccine, of a much higher potency, the response to vaccine was apparent in the presence of a passive titre of 1:120.If a similar relationship is seen in man with the use of a homologous antirabies product, it will be essential to use high potency vaccines or alter the established vaccination schedules in order to overcome the inherent interference problems.
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Authors: B G Archer, R E Dierks
Language: English
Subfield: Virology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1565128370