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Prophylaxis of varicella in children with neoplastic disease: Comparative results with zoster immune plasma and gamma globulin
Author(s) -
Geiser Clementina F.,
Bishop Yvonne,
Myers Martin,
Jaffe Norman,
Yankee Ronald
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197504)35:4<1027::aid-cncr2820350402>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - medicine , gamma globulin , incidence (geometry) , pneumonia , antibody , immune system , chickenpox , pediatrics , immunology , gastroenterology , virus , physics , optics
The incidence and severity of varicella following a close family contact were evaluated in children with neoplastic diseases who received prophylaxis either with commercial gamma globulin or with zoster immune plasma, as compared to patients who did not receive any prophylaxis. In the untreated group, all 14 patients developed varicella, complicated by 1 case of encephalitis and 2 cases of fatal pneumonia. In the group of 17 patients who received 0.6–1.2 ml/kg body weight of gamma globulin, 16 developed varicella, complicated by pneumonia in 2 cases, with 1 death. In the third group of 27 patients who received 10 ml/kg body weight of zoster immune plasma (ZIP), obtained from healthy adults convalescing from herpes zoster, there were only 8 cases of varicella, all very mild. Thus, prophylaxis with ZIP significantly reduced the incidence of clinical varicella (p < 0.01) and attenuated the severity of its course.