Immunoglobulins are the antibodies in our blood that help us fight infections. We do not have a vaccine that can stimulate a baby's immune system to make its own anti-RSV antibodies. We do, however, have the next best thing, which is the ability to give anti-RSV antibodies to babies. Until the fall of 1998, the only way to give babies RSVIG was to give it with an IV over a few hours.

IVIG is a treatment for many immune disorders. Preliminary research suggests that it may help maintain pregnancy in women who have experienced secondary recurrent miscarriage by improving the mother’s immune response to this pregnancy. Currently, Dr. Stephenson is conducting an international trial to test whether IVIG helps promote successful pregnancies in women who have suffered secondary recurrent miscarriage.

Most people with RSV suffer moderate to severe cold-like symptoms. But in some cases, RSV can be more serious. It is estimated that the annual infant death rate due to RSV is 10 times greater than that of the flu, with up to 400 infant deaths from RSV each year in the U.S. Preemies and babies born with a heart or lung condition are at higher risk for severe RSV disease, which could lead to hospitalization or serious lung infections like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

RSV is respiratory syncytial (pronounced sin-SISH-ull) virus. It is a very contagious virus that commonly gives adults and older children the common cold, especially during the winter. Any cold could be due to RSV. There is no way to know if a person's cold is due to RSV or some other virus without doing a special test. Virtually all children catch RSV at least once by the time they are three years old.

RSVIG will generally be given in a doctor's office, much like regular "baby shots", although other locations may be possible. A hidden risk of RSVIG treatment is the possibility that your baby might catch a cold at the place where the treatment is given. When making your appointment and again when showing up for your appointment, ask if special arrangements can be made to keep your baby away from people who may have colds.

Each level scoop of Optimune is designed to contain 10 grams of protein. Optimune has four types of immunoglobulin: IgG1, IgG2, IgA, and IgM. The Ig content in each scoop is equivalent to 10% of the amount of protein, or about 1 gram. This is about two to four times higher than the Ig content in most other commercially available whey proteins, and about eight times as high as the content in pasteurized milk.

Yes, RSV is highly contagious. Up to two-thirds of infants are infected in the first year of life. The infection can sometimes be spread through the air, via coughing and sneezing. Transmission more commonly occurs by the sharing of respiratory secretions from infected persons, and then self-innoculation by rubbing the eyes, nose, or mouth. RSV can survive for up to 12 hours on nonporous surfaces such as cribs and countertops.

Like the flu or common cold, RSV is a season virus. The season varies from one part of the country to the next, but it usually starts in the fall and continues into the spring. In some parts of the country, such as Alaska, Hawaii and parts of Texas and Florida, RSV season may be different. To find out when the season starts in your area, talk to your baby's healthcare provider.

The old saying, "there is no cure for the common cold" is true for RSV. Once a baby has a RSV infection, all we can do is help a sick baby's breathing (if needed) and hope the baby's own immune system can fight off the RSV infection before it gets too serious.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to stimulate a baby's own immune system to make antibodies against RSV, as do the many "baby shots" that successfully prevent many serious diseases like pertussis (whooping cough).

No, it is the name of a common Respiratory virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It is a contagious virus that is spread through the air from one person to another often from coughing, sneezing and from hands. It is a common cause of colds in winter and early spring and can affect all ages. It’s symptoms may look like a cold; fever,runny stuffy nose, red eyes, sore throat/ears, and other cold symptoms.

In a large research study of IM (intramuscular shot) RSVIG treatment of former premature babies, 1000 babies treated with RSVIG were compared to 500 babies not treated with RSVIG. The need for hospitalization was reduced by RSVIG treatment (see details below). Very few babies in this study died, and there was certainly no clear effect of RSVIG on the unlikely chance of death from RSV. RSVIG treatment did not change the need for a ventilator (also called a respirator), either.

Babies who were born after June 1st of this year at 35 weeks of the pregnancy or less are eligible for RSVIG treatment. If your baby was born before June 1 of this year, but has needed some sort of lung-oriented treatment (oxygen, diuretics, bronchodilators, or steroid drugs) since June 1 of this year, then your baby is also eligible for RSVIG treatment.

No, RSVIG treatment is something you may choose or not choose for your child. While it appears clear that RSVIG keeps some babies out of the hospital, there is not yet any evidence of more important long-term benefits, such as avoiding death or long-term respiratory problems. It is also somewhat inconvenient to get this treatment.

The antibodies wear off after about a month, so the shot must be given every month through the winter months (typically November through April). The new IM shot form of RSVIG is far more convenient than the old IV form given in previous years, however.

Yes. A small percentage of babies given RSVIG will have fever, mild injection site reactions, or other problems after the RSVIG shot. When these problems occur, they are nearly always minor and don't last very long. Severe, dangerous allergic reactions are possible, but they are very rare. (None of the 1000 treated babies in the large RSVIG study had a severe allergic reaction.)

An important factor in your decision is your general feeling about new medical treatments. Some people feel compelled to use all of the latest treatments. Others are suspicious of new treatments, fearing unknown rare or future side effects. Both views are held by many reasonable and informed people.

The symptoms of RSV are initially similar to a cold, and can include some or all of the following symptoms:

It is important to help ensure that the infected infant is able to breathe (oxygenate and not go into respiratory failure), remain hydrated, and sleep comfortably. Your child's doctor may perform tests to confirm an RSV infection and help determine the severity of the infection and the need for hospitalization. Your child's doctor is the best source of information about the treatment of serious RSV disease and supportive care measures.

Almost as easy as breathing. Like a common cold, RSV can be spread by sneezing and coughing or by physical contact such as kissing, touching or shaking hands. Unlike cold viruses, RSV can live up to six hours on countertops and other surfaces, and spreads very quickly in daycare centers and crowded households. No wonder nearly all babies will have had RSV by the age of two.

We can try to keep the RSV virus away from former premature babies. Keeping babies away from people with colds is an obvious first step. Babies who go to day care centers often catch colds from the other children. Families with other young children in school face a similar problem.

RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the lower airways) and pneumonia in babies. It is an illness that often occurs in yearly outbreaks in communities and in newborn intensive care units (NICUs). In the United States, RSV is more common in winter and spring months.

The results of a controlled trial of plasma exchange (also known as plasmapheresis) and immunoglobulin (IVIG) for the treatment of children in the PANDAS subgroup was published in "The Lancet", Vol. 354, October 2, 1999. All of the children participating in the study had clear evidence of a strep. infection as the trigger of their OCD and tics, and all were severely ill at the time of treatment.

ML) ASSUMING THE LOCAL PRODUCTS HAVE THE SAME SAFETY PROFILE AS OTHER COMMERCIALLY PRODUCES IVIGS, THEY ARE SAFE. MANY PATIENTS HAVE RECEIVED IVIG FOR 10-15 YEARS WITHOUT ANY OBVIOUS PROBLEMS. TO ADD A SENSE OF BALANCE, AN ANTIBODY DEFICIENT PATIENT LEFT UNTREATED WILL DIE FROM INFECTION/CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE WHEREAS THEY ARE OFFERED AN ALMOST NORMAL LIFE ON THE TREATMENT. NBI) All our products are registered with the Medicines Control Council in terms of their safety, efficacy and quality.

The most important thing to keep in mind when answering this question is that while immunoglobulin (IG) level has been the most common measurement used to determine colostrum quality for calves, it is often over-emphasized as the measurement of quality for humans. Nature created a perfect food in colostrum and all colostrum contains the same basic components including IG, lactoferrin and growth factors.

If your baby was given RSVIG while in the hospital, you were told about it, and some of the information given here should sound familiar. In the hospital, the IV form may have been used, but even in those situations, the IM form is still probably the best choice after going home. For many babies at relatively lower risk for hospitalization due to RSV, treatment while in the hospital, but not after discharge home, is a reasonable option.

Kelly Bolton-Jordan gave birth to Whitney on Oct 11, 2000 at 25.5 weeks gestational age weighing one pound ten ounces - just 737 grams. More Info Learn about MedImmune's efforts to develop a new anti-RSV product that could more effectively reduce RSV virus in the lung and nasal passages of fragile infants. More Info

Most babies won't need Synagis for a second season. But some babies are still at greater risk for severe RSV disease in their second year and may need Synagis for more than one RSV season. Ask your doctor if your baby will need a second season of Synagis.

Being born with lung disease. Babies under two years of age who have been treated for lung disease within six months of the start of RSV season are at higher risk. Being born with heart disease. Babies younger than two who were born with serious heart disease are at higher risk. If your baby already has one or more of the risk factors listed above, there are other risk factors that may also apply, including (but not limited to): Being around other children, at home or in daycare.

Babies who were born since the beginning of last September, were more premature at birth (especially 28 weeks or less at birth), are boys, or have bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, see below) are at the greatest risk. Babies who are currently receiving any treatment for their lungs (a ventilator, nasal prong CPAP, oxygen, wheezing medications, steroids, or diuretic drugs to get water out of the body) are at particularly high risk.