Investigations on the efficacy of two schemes of standard gammaglobulin administration in the prevention of viral hepatitis.

Prophylactic administration of standard gammaglobulin (G) to over 5,000 children led to a more than 6-fold decrease in the incidence of icteric viral hepatitis (V.H.) as compared with the control group and to the disappearance of the autumn--winter epidemic peak. A 3-fold decrease in the incidence of subclinical forms was also achieved. In another group of 5,000 children G was only given to contacts in epidemic foci; the incidence of icteric V. H. was similar to that recorded in controls, while subclinical forms were 2 times more frequent in children having received G after the infectant contact.