Clinical serum therapy

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  • Hifumi Toru
    Department of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, Kagawa University Hospital Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, St. Luke's Hospital

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  • 血清療法
  • Clinical serum therapy [in Japanese]

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Serum prepared from immunized humans or animals (e.g., horses), which contains antibodies, has been used for serum therapy or passive immunization to treat many diseases or envenomation events since its initial discovery in 1890, when Kitasato and von Behring observed the efficacy of this type of therapy against diphtheria and tetanus. At present, several types of serum therapies are used in clinical practice. Currently, three types of antitoxins--the gas gangrene equine antitoxin, diphtheria equine antitoxin, and botulism equine antitoxin are supplied by the government (Kokuyu vaccine), whereas tetanus human immune globulin, Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) equine antivenom, and Habu (Protobothrops flavoviridis) equine antivenom are available commercially. Yamakagashi (Rhabdophis tigrinus) equine antivenom and red back spider equine antivenom are supplied by research groups in Japan. Summaries of clinical serum therapies are unavailable in the literature. As a result, clinicians have little opportunity to learn about and become familiar with these therapies. In this review, we attempt to clarify the benefits, precautions, and potential applications of serum therapies. Through this review, we hope that clinicians will have the opportunity to learn about and become familiar with clinical serum therapies.

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