Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin (Human), Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to prevent or reduce the severity of chickenpox in people who have been exposed to the disease and are at high risk for complications.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: immune globulin

Generic and brand names: varicella zoster immune globulin, injection; Varizig

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (a shot into a muscle) to prevent or reduce the severity of chickenpox infection. It is given to people who have been exposed to chickenpox and are at high risk for complications, such as:

• Children and adults with a weakened immune system from diseases such as HIV/AIDS or from cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or steroid medicine
• Newborns of mothers who had chickenpox shortly before or after delivery
• Premature infants
• Infants less than one year of age
• Adults who have never had chickenpox or a vaccine for chickenpox
• Pregnant women

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine or immune globulin
• Blood clots or a bleeding disorder, or if you take medicine that reduces the chance of blood clots forming
• Heart disease
• Low levels of IgA (immunoglobulin A)

Tell your healthcare provider if you have recently had a long period of bed rest after major surgery or a broken bone in a cast. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you have recently received any vaccines.

Females of childbearing age: Talk with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

This medicine is given by your healthcare provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine is made from human tissue. It is tested for viruses such as hepatitis and HIV. The risk of getting an infection from this medicine is very low, but it is still possible. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

This medicine may cause pain, tenderness, irritation, rash, or swelling on the skin where injections were given. The pain or tenderness should go away in a day or two.

Contact your healthcare provider if your condition does not improve in a few days or if it gets worse.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat); sudden weakness, numbness, or tingling, especially on one side of your body; sudden or severe headache; sudden trouble with vision, speech, balance, or walking.

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Severe tiredness or weakness; chest pain; trouble breathing; swelling or pain in arms or legs or any unexplained swelling.

Other: Skin irritation or pain on your skin where the shot was given, fever, chills, mild rash, headache, tiredness, nausea.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Live vaccines. Check with your healthcare provider before having any live-virus vaccinations. This medicine may interfere with your response to live vaccines for up to 3 months or longer after receiving this medicine.

Keep a record of all vaccines received and when you received them.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.