Zoster-immune globulin
Encyclopedia
Zoster-immune globulin is a globulin
fraction (separable constituent) of pooled (mixed) plasma
extracted from human donors who have recovered from infection
by herpes zoster
. ZIG is used in the prevention of chickenpox
and shingles, but is not known to be useful in treating clinical varicella or zoster.
Globulin
Globulin is one of the three types of serum proteins, the others being albumin and fibrinogen. Some globulins are produced in the liver, while others are made by the immune system. The term globulin encompasses a heterogeneous group of proteins with typical high molecular weight, and both...
fraction (separable constituent) of pooled (mixed) plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
extracted from human donors who have recovered from infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
by herpes zoster
Herpes zoster
Herpes zoster , commonly known as shingles and also known as zona, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe...
. ZIG is used in the prevention of chickenpox
Chickenpox
Chickenpox or chicken pox is a highly contagious illness caused by primary infection with varicella zoster virus . It usually starts with vesicular skin rash mainly on the body and head rather than at the periphery and becomes itchy, raw pockmarks, which mostly heal without scarring...
and shingles, but is not known to be useful in treating clinical varicella or zoster.