Vaccine

VIG Therapy for Complications

General Information (22:V6:94)

Antibodies limit viral replication. Cangene® intravenous VIG therapy is first-line therapy for a number of the smallpox vaccine complications. Under IND. Cangene® is available only through the CDC. It is suggested that VIG is administered as soon as possible after onset of the following complications:

  1. Inadvertent inoculation (severe, or underlying illness)
  2. Generalized vaccinia (severe, or underlying illness)
  3. Eczema vaccinatum
  4. Progressive vaccinia
  5. Consider for severe ocular complications

Usage

Vaccinia immune globulin is valuable in treating patients with progressive vaccinia, eczema vacciniatum, severe generalized vaccinia, and periocular infections resulting from inadvertent inoculation.

It is administered intramuscularly in a dose of 0.6 mL/kg of body weight. Because the dose is large (eg, 42 mL for a person weighing 70 kg), the product is given intramuscularly in divided doses over a 24- to 36- hour period and may be repeated, if necessary, after 2 to 3 days if improvement is not occurring.

Limited Availability

Because the availability of VIG is so limited, its use should be reserved for the most serious cases. Vaccinia immune globulin, as well as vaccinia vaccine, is made available by the CDC through state health departments. 

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