The use of polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulins in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases

In this review we discuss the prevention and treatment of infectious diseas es with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). IVIG can be used to prevent inf ections in primary as well as in certain secondary immunodeficiencies. We a lso discuss the use of IVIG in the prevention of CMV-disease after organ or bone marrow transplantation. Besides their use in prevention, IVIG can als o be used as an additional therapy in sepsis in neonates, in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and in CMV-disease after bone marrow or solid organ tr ansplantation. We briefly discuss the different preparations of IVIG that a re available in Belgium.