My Curious Case: Antibody that can treat dengue fever

Based on a rapidly worsening clinical condition, a rare decision to use immunoglobulins was taken after discussing risk factors with his family and the dean of the hospital.

Use of immunoglobulin, a protein, is ambiguous in treatment of dengue haemorrhagic fever.

While the positives of immunoglobulins is the possibility that it could clear immune complexes in the body along with rise in platelet count, the cons can be leakage of capillaries or even worsening in body cavities. This treatment has not been documented well in case of dengue.
We decided to use it as all other treatment measures were failing.

By day three of administering immunoglobulin, all parameters began to show improvement and by the fifth day, he was significantly better. He was extubated on the tenth day and discharged a week later. The role of immunoglobulins in viral haemorrhagic fever is clearly defined, though not as clear in dengue hemorrhagic fever. This patient’s account illustrates that while there are defined boundaries in practice, patients with life-threatening infection should be assessed on an individual basis.

As told to Tabassum Barnagarwala