Therapeutic antibodies for infectious diseases

Passive immunization is the transfer of antibodies and occurs naturally during pregnancy. The transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies to the fetus can protect the infant from many infectious diseases for the first vulnerable months of its life. Passive immunization has been used in the global effort to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. Researchers have estimated that vaccinating pregnant women with two or more doses of tetanus-containing vaccine has reduced neonatal mortality from tetanus by 94%.1In addition, clinicians have used passive immunization, to prevent or to treat various infections for over a century for diseases such as rabies, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, respiratory syncytial virus and botulism. Passive immunization is also used in immunocompromised individuals and to manage complications after vaccination.