Rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) is a medication made up of antibodies against the rabies virus.[8] It is used to prevent rabies following exposure.[8] It is given after the wound is cleaned with soap and water or povidone-iodine and is followed by a course of rabies vaccine.[8] It is given by injection into the site of the wound and into a muscle.[8] It is not needed in people who have been previously vaccinated against rabies.[9]
Common side effects include pain at the site of injection, fever, and headache.[8] Severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis may rarely occur.[10] Use during pregnancy is not known to harm the baby.[8] It works by binding to the rabies virus before it can enter nerve tissue.[8] After the virus has entered the central nervous system, rabies immunoglobulin is no longer useful.[8]
The use of rabies immunoglobulin in the form of blood serum dates from 1891.[11] Use became common within medicine in the 1950s.[12] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[13] Rabies immunoglobulin is expensive and hard to come by in the developing world.[14] In the United States it is estimated to be more than US$1,000 per dose.[15] Some versions are made from the blood plasma of people or horses who have high levels of the antibody in their blood.[8][15] The horse version is less expensive but has a higher rate of side effects.[15][12] A number of monoclonal antibody versions are also avaialble.[16]
Rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) is indicated for the passive, transient post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies infection, when given immediately after contact with a rabid or possibly rabid animal and in combination with a rabies vaccine.[17][1][18]
There are a number of versions of rabies immunoglobulin licensed and available in the US.[19] Imogam Rabies-HT is produced by Sanofi Pasteur.[4] Kedrab is produced by Kedrion Biopharma.[17][5] Hyperrab is produced by Grifols.[6]
Imogam Rabies-HT and Kedrab have a nominal potency of 150 IU/mL while Hyperrab has a nominal potency of 300 IU/mL and requires smaller dosing. All three versions are used for post-exposure[20] and indicate local infusion at the wound site with additional amount intramuscularly at a site distant from vaccine administration.[21]
Kamrab is approved for medical use in Australia.[1]
↑ 1.01.11.21.3"Kamrab". Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
↑World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
↑Tintinalli, Judith E. (2010). Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide (Emergency Medicine (Tintinalli)) (7 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies. p. 1054. ISBN978-0-07-148480-0.
↑ 16.016.116.2Fan, L; Zhang, L; Li, J; Zhu, F (31 December 2022). "Advances in the progress of monoclonal antibodies for rabies". Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics. 18 (1): 2026713. doi:10.1080/21645515.2022.2026713. PMID35172707.