Opsonic activity in serum from septic infants treated with intravenous immunoglobulin

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 64; no. 4; pp. 530 - 534
• Main Authors: MARODI, L, KALMAR, A, SZABO, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.04.1989; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Antibiotics; Biological and medical sciences; Complement C3 - analysis; Emergency and intensive care: neonates and children. Prematurity. Sudden death; Female; Humans; Immunization, Passive; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infusions, Intravenous; Ingestion; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Opsonin Proteins - analysis; Phagocytosis; Sepsis - immunology; Sepsis - therapy; Staphylococcal Infections - immunology; Staphylococcal Infections - therapy; Human; Immunoglobulins; Intravenous administration; Opsonization; Septicemia; Immunotherapy; Infant; Resuscitation
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.64.4.530

Thirteen infants with staphylococcal sepsis and reduced opsonic activity received infusions of acid treated immunoglobulin together with antibiotics. Opsonic activity (using Staphylococcus aureus (type 42D) as the test organism), haemolytic activity of complement, and concentrations of complement C3 and IgG were measured in serum prepared before and after three days of treatment with immunoglobulin at a dose of 250-300 mg/kg/day. There was increased ingestion of S aureus by normal human granulocytes in the presence of fresh serum prepared after infusion of immunoglobulin and significantly increased opsonic activity of heat inactivated serum after treatment with immunoglobulin. The haemolytic activity of complement and concentrations of complement C3 were not influenced, and serum concentrations of IgG increased as the result of receiving a total of 800-900 mg/kg immunoglobulin over a period of three days. This study shows that administration of acid treated IgG to septic infants leads to functionally increased opsonisation.