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A Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

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DRUGS THAT ENHANCE IMMUNE SYSTEM<br />

FUNCTION<br />

ADJUVANTS<br />

Adjuvants non-specifically augment the immune response<br />

when mixed with antigen or injected into the same site. This is<br />

achieved in the following ways:<br />

• release <strong>of</strong> the antigen is slowed <strong>and</strong> exposure to it is<br />

prolonged;<br />

• various immune cells are attracted to the site <strong>of</strong> injection<br />

<strong>and</strong> the interaction between such cells is important in<br />

antibody formation.<br />

There are a number <strong>of</strong> such substances, usually given as<br />

mixtures <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>ten containing lipids, extracts <strong>of</strong> inactivated<br />

tubercle bacilli <strong>and</strong> various mineral salts.<br />

IMMUNOSTIMULANTS<br />

Immunostimulants non-specifically enhance immune responses,<br />

examples include bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or killed<br />

Corynebacterium parvum.<br />

INTERLEUKIN-2 (IL-2)<br />

Interleukin-2 is effective treatment for metastatic melanoma<br />

<strong>and</strong> renal cell carcinoma (Chapter 48).<br />

VACCINES<br />

IMMUNOLOGY AND GENERAL USE<br />

Vaccines stimulate an immune response. They may consist <strong>of</strong>:<br />

• an attenuated form <strong>of</strong> the infectious agent, such as the live<br />

vaccines used to prevent rubella, measles or polio, or BCG<br />

to prevent tuberculosis;<br />

• inactivated preparations <strong>of</strong> virus (e.g. influenza virus) or<br />

bacteria (e.g. typhoid vaccine);<br />

• detoxified exotoxins (‘toxoids’), e.g. tetanus vaccine.<br />

Live vaccine immunization is generally achieved with a single<br />

dose, but three doses are required for oral polio (to cover different<br />

strains). Live vaccine replicates while in the body <strong>and</strong><br />

produces protracted immunity, albeit not as long as that<br />

acquired after natural infection. When two live vaccines are<br />

required (<strong>and</strong> are not in a combined preparation) they may be<br />

given at different sites simultaneously or at an interval <strong>of</strong> at least<br />

three weeks. Inactivated vaccines usually require sequential<br />

doses <strong>of</strong> vaccine to produce an adequate antibody response.<br />

Booster injections are required at intervals. The duration <strong>of</strong><br />

immunity acquired with the use <strong>of</strong> inactivated vaccines ranges<br />

from months to years. The vaccination programmes recommended<br />

by the Department <strong>of</strong> Health (DH) in the UK are<br />

IMMUNOGLOBULINS AS THERAPY 407<br />

described in detail in a memor<strong>and</strong>um entitled ‘Immunization<br />

against infectious disease’, available to doctors from the<br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Health. The British National Formulary summarizes<br />

the recommended schedule <strong>of</strong> vaccinations.<br />

Contraindications<br />

Postpone vaccination if the patient is suffering from acute illness.<br />

Ensure that the patient is not sensitive to antibiotics used in<br />

the preparation <strong>of</strong> the vaccine (e.g. neomycin <strong>and</strong> polymyxin).<br />

Egg sensitivity excludes the administration <strong>of</strong> several vaccines<br />

(e.g. influenza). Live vaccines should not be given to pregnant<br />

women, nor should they be given to patients who are immunosuppressed.<br />

Live vaccines should be postponed until at least<br />

three months after stopping glucocorticosteroids <strong>and</strong> six months<br />

after chemotherapy. Live vaccines should not be administered to<br />

HIV-1-positive individuals.<br />

Key points<br />

Vaccine therapy<br />

• Vaccines generally stimulate the production <strong>of</strong><br />

protective antibodies or activated T cells.<br />

• Vaccines consist <strong>of</strong>:<br />

– attenuated infectious agents – antiviral vaccines<br />

(e.g. mumps, rubella, etc.).<br />

– inactivated viral/bacterial preparations (e.g.<br />

influenza virus or typhoid vaccine).<br />

– extracts <strong>of</strong> detoxified toxins (e.g. tetanus toxin).<br />

• Live vaccines produce protracted immunity <strong>and</strong> some<br />

(e.g. measles <strong>and</strong> mumps vaccines) have a low risk <strong>of</strong><br />

causing a mild form <strong>of</strong> the disease.<br />

• Different countries have different vaccination schedules<br />

based on the prevalence <strong>of</strong> the disease in the<br />

population <strong>and</strong> the level <strong>of</strong> herd (‘population’)<br />

immunity.<br />

IMMUNOGLOBULINS AS THERAPY<br />

Immunoglobulin injection gives immediate passive protection<br />

for four to six weeks. Recombinant technology will yield antibodies<br />

<strong>of</strong> consistent quality in the future, but it is a challenge to<br />

replicate the diversity present in polyclonal human normal<br />

immunoglobulin. Currently, there are two types <strong>of</strong> immunoglobulin,<br />

namely normal <strong>and</strong> specific.<br />

HUMAN NORMAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN<br />

Human normal immunoglobulin (HNIG) is prepared from<br />

pooled donations <strong>of</strong> human plasma. It contains antibodies to<br />

measles, mumps, varicella, hepatitis A <strong>and</strong> other viruses.<br />

Uses<br />

HNIG is used to protect susceptible subjects from infection<br />

with hepatitis A <strong>and</strong> measles <strong>and</strong>, to a lesser extent, to protect<br />

the fetus against rubella in pregnancy when termination is not<br />

an option. Special formulations for intravenous administration<br />

are available for replacement therapy in agammaglobulinaemia,

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