1. Immunization

2. Immunotherapy – preformed Ab
Immune serum globulin – (gamma globulin) contains immunoglobulin extracted from the pooled blood of at least 1,000 human donors
Treatment of choice for preventing measles, hepatitis A and replacing Ab in the immune deficient
Lasts 2-3 months

3. Immunotherapy – Continued
Provides a high titer of a specific Ab
Available for pertussis, tetanus, chickenpox, hepatitis B
Sera produced in horses are available for diphtheria, botulism, spider and snake bites
Acts immediately & can protect patients for whom no other useful medication exists

4. Vaccines
Provide an antigenic stimulus that does not cause disease but can produce long lasting, protective immunity

7. Serology
A science that attempts to detect signs of infection in a patient’s serum such as Ab for a specific microbe
Serological tests based on Abs specifically binding to Ag.
Ag of known identity will react with Ab in an unknown serum sample.
Known Ab can be used to detect Ag in serum
Ag-Ab reactions are visible by clumps, precipitates, color changes or release of radioactivity.
The most effective tests have high specificity and sensitivity.