Polyvalent immunoglobulins in prevention of viral infections in children with neoplastic diseases treated with immunosuppressive therapy

31 children with leukemias, lymphomas and solid tumors treated by polychemotherapy received prophylactic i.v. polyvalent immunoglobulins during 48 hours after exposion with varicella-zoster-virus, rubella-virus or mumps-virus. None of the 23 children with immunity against the exposed virus developed the infection. 8 children had no antibodies against the exposed virus. The prophylaxis with the polyvalent immunoglobulin protected them against chickenpox (6 children) and rubella (2 children). All children showed an elevation of the IgG level in plasma and the antibody titers against measles-, mumps-, rubella- and varicella-zoster-virus after application of the immunoglobulin. A study with a larger number of patients is necessary to confirm our results, that polyvalent immunoglobulins with high titers against exposed viruses are effective in prevention of this diseases in immunocompromised children.