Prevention of Serum Hepatitis

Abstract

To the Editor: The September 28, 1963, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association carries, on page 1037, an editorial entitled "Prevention of High Fatality Rate in Serum Hepatitis." The editorial cites data to justify a recommendation that "in persons over 40 years of age, the routine administration of gamma globulin after blood transfusions should be given serious consideration." The suggested dose of gamma globulin is 10 ml. given twice, at a one-month interval.This recommendation is based upon an alleged 20 per cent attack rate of serum hepatitis after transfusion, an alleged death rate of 1 . . .