Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) is a human immune globulin that is used to prevent the development of hepatitis B.

Preparation

HBIG is prepared from the plasma

Blood plasma

Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...

 of donors who have high antibody

Antibody

An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...

 levels of the hepatitis B surface antigen. It is extracted from the Cohn Fraction II. During the process, viruses are deactivated, and in the final steps, solvents used in the preparation are removed. The preparation is tested for absence of HIV

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...

, HCV

HCV

HCV may mean the following:*Hepatitis C virus*Human Coronavirus*Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle, a target for DARPA's FALCON program*Heavy commercial vehicle*Higher Calorific Value...

, herpes virus

Herpes virus

In colloquial use, herpes virus refers to the herpes simplex virus, particularly when transmitted sexually.In scientific use, herpesvirus refers to a virus of the taxonomic family herpesviridae....

, and reo virus.

Indications

HBIG is indicated as a postexposure prophylaxis for people at risk to develop hepatitis B because they have been recently exposed to body fluids of individuals who have hepatitis B. This includes babies of mothers with hepatitis B, sexual partners, healthcare workers, police and fire workers, and morticians. It provides a temporarily-induced immunity

Immunity (medical)

Immunity is a biological term that describes a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion. Immunity involves both specific and non-specific components. The non-specific components act either as barriers or as eliminators of wide...

 by the transfer of immunoglobulins.

The medication is given as in intramuscular injection. Side effects include allergic reactions, backpain, general feeling of discomfort, headaches, muscle pain, nausea, and pain or bleeding at the injection site. Allergy to human immune globulin is a contraindication. HIV has never been transmitted by HBIG. As with all blood-derived products, the transmission of prion

Prion

A prion is an infectious agent composed of protein in a misfolded form. This is in contrast to all other known infectious agents which must contain nucleic acids . The word prion, coined in 1982 by Stanley B. Prusiner, is a portmanteau derived from the words protein and infection...

s is possible as a residual risk.

Concomitant vaccination

HBIG should be given within 14 days of exposure to the hepatitis B virus. The half-life of HBIG is about 3 weeks. In lieu of a booster administration of HBIG, a hepatitis B vaccination is initiated at the time of the initial HBIG administration, thus providing long term protection.

HBIG is classified as pregnancy category

Pregnancy category

The pregnancy category of a pharmaceutical agent is an assessment of the risk of fetal injury due to the pharmaceutical, if it is used as directed by the mother during pregnancy. It does not include any risks conferred by pharmaceutical agents or their metabolites that are present in breast...

 C substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.