A Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
A Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
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,