How is immunoglobulin prepared after a tick bite? - briefly
After a tick bite, serum from immunized donors is harvested, antibodies are purified via protein A/G chromatography, subjected to viral inactivation, and formulated into a sterile injectable immunoglobulin preparation.
How is immunoglobulin prepared after a tick bite? - in detail
Therapeutic immunoglobulin used after a tick bite is obtained through a multistage manufacturing process designed to yield a safe, high‑purity antibody preparation suitable for passive immunisation. The procedure begins with the selection of donor plasma that contains high titres of antibodies against the relevant tick‑borne pathogen. Plasma is screened for infectious agents, then pooled and subjected to fractionation using the Cohn cold‑ethanol method or modern chromatography techniques.
Key steps in the production chain include:
- Fractionation – precipitation of the γ‑globulin fraction from the pooled plasma.
- Purification – removal of residual albumin, fibrinogen, and other plasma proteins by ion‑exchange and affinity chromatography.
- Viral inactivation – application of solvent/detergent treatment, low‑pH incubation, and nanofiltration to eliminate enveloped and non‑enveloped viruses.
- Concentration and diafiltration – ultrafiltration concentrates the immunoglobulin to the desired protein content while exchanging the buffer to a physiologic solution.
- Formulation – addition of stabilisers (e.g., sucrose or glycine), adjustment of pH, and sterile filtration to produce the final injectable product.
- Quality control – testing for purity, potency, sterility, endotoxin levels, and specific antibody titres against the tick‑borne agent.
After release, the immunoglobulin is stored under refrigerated conditions and administered intravenously or intramuscularly according to the prescribed dosage regimen. The passive antibodies provide immediate neutralisation of the pathogen, supporting the host’s immune response while adaptive immunity develops.