Rationale for treating human influenza infections by passive transfer of specific antibodies

The fear of a potential pandemic with a highly pathogenic influenza A virus, such as the avian virus H5N1, has rightly prompted multidisciplinary reflections and calls for better preparedness all over the world. In terms of therapeutic aspects, most of the focus has been on vaccines and antivirals. The present 'opinion paper' intends to discuss a different therapeutic approach, although not mutually exclusive to the two others quoted above. We here propose an approach, based on well-documented experimental evidence in animal models, in which a short series of human monoclonal antibodies adapted to the probable pandemic strain, specific for external antigens of that influenza virus and shown in vitro and in experimental models to have neutralizing properties, are prepared and stockpiled for administration to people recently exposed to the pandemic virus.