Vaxitet-IG

Passive immunity in the prevention & treatment of tetanus

Prophylaxis of tetanus: Tetanus Antitoxin (equine) should not be used in the routine treatment of traumatic wounds. It is given prophylactically to persons at the risk of tetanus infection by infected wounds or severe wounds. For prophylaxis after injury, non-immune or partially immune persons may be given 3,000 to 5,000 units of tetanus antitoxin subcutaneously or intramuscularly. If 24 hours have passed since the wound occurred, the dose is 3,000 IU. In crush wounds or wounds contaminated with soil or other foreign bodies, the dose is 10,000 to 20,000 IU. For persons below 30 kg the dosage is 1,500 IU. Active immunization with Adsorbed Tetanus vaccine should be given simultaneously with the use of this preparation or a booster injection of Adsorbed Tetanus vaccine should be given if the patient has previously been immunized. Treatment: Therapy should be given as soon as possible after the appearance of symptoms of the disease. Therapeutic dose not less than 3000 IU. Depending on the severity, the dose may vary from 50,000 to 100,000 IU of tetanus antitoxin for hospitalized patients given partially by intravenous route and the rest of the dose intramuscularly.

Should be used with great caution if patient is subject to allergic disease such as asthma or infantile eczema, or was allergic to any previous antiserum injection.

Tetanus toxoid induces active immunity to the tetanus antigen by stimulating the immune system to produce specific antitoxin. They are not indicated for the treatment of active tetanus infection.

If there is no history of previous serum injection or allergic reaction, the dose of serum may be given intramuscularly. If the patient is subject to allergic diseases, a trial dose of 0,2 mL (diluted 1:10 if preferred) of the serum should be given subcutaneously; if no general reaction develops during an interval of 30 minutes, the main dose may be given intramuscularly. The patient must be kept under observation for at least 30 minutes after the injection and adrenaline kept in readiness for emergency use. In all urgent cases, the intravenous route is indicated, but should never be used unless a preliminary intramuscular injection, given at least 30 minutes beforehand, has been tolerated. For intravenous use, the serum should be at room temperature, the injection should be given very slowly, and the patient should be recumbent during the injection, and for at least an hour afterwards.

Reactions are liable to occur after the injection of any serum of animal origin. Anaphylaxis may occur in rare cases, with hypotension, dyspnoea, urticaria, and shock. Anaphylactic reactions should be treated with adrenalin, possibly in association with antihistamine and corticosteroid therapy. Serum sickness may occur 7 to 10 days after injection of serum of animal origin; symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, bronchospasm, and urticaria; nephritis, myocarditis, neuritis, polyarthritis, and uveitis have been reported as rare complications of serum sickness.

Decreased immunologic response with concurrent immunosuppressants. Neutralisation of tetanus immune globulin and tetanus toxoid adsorbed if not given at different sites using different syringes.