High-antibody plasma treatment for hospitalized West Nile fever patients.

High-titer West Nile Virus-neutralizing Plasma for Hospitalized Patients With West Nile Fever: a Prospective Controlled Clinical Study Using Historical Controls

PHASE2 · Sheba Medical Center · NCT07094724

This trial will test whether giving plasma rich in West Nile antibodies helps adults hospitalized with severe West Nile fever recover faster and avoid serious complications.

Quick facts

PhasePHASE2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment37 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorSheba Medical Center (other gov)
Locations1 site (Ramat Gan)
Trial IDNCT07094724 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Hospitalized adults with laboratory-confirmed West Nile fever who are either 60 or older or are immunosuppressed and aged 18–59 will receive plasma donated by recovered people with high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Treatment must be given within 72 hours of the diagnostic sample, and investigators will track clinical recovery, complications, length of hospital stay, and survival. Outcomes for treated patients will be compared with patients who do not receive high-titer plasma. The trial uses passive immunotherapy because there are no specific antiviral drugs approved for West Nile virus infection.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults hospitalized with confirmed West Nile fever who are either age ≥60 or age 18–59 with documented immunosuppression, with diagnostic sample collected within 72 hours and not pregnant, are the intended participants.

Not a fit: Younger adults without significant immunosuppression, people tested more than 72 hours earlier, and pregnant patients are excluded and therefore unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could shorten hospital stays and reduce serious complications or deaths from severe West Nile fever.

How similar studies have performed: Passive transfer of convalescent plasma has shown mixed or limited success for other viral infections and clinical data specific to West Nile virus are limited and largely experimental.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults hospitalized due to WNF, confirmed by a positive IgM or PCR result in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
* Symptomatic acute illness, including fever and/or neurological manifestations (headache, somnolence, confusion, seizures, personality changes, extra-pyramidal manifestations, cranial nerve palsies, etc.).
* No more than 72 hours have elapsed since collection of diagnostic sample.
* Age criteria

  * Age ≥60 years OR
  * Age 18-59 years with previously documented immunosuppression, including hypogammaglobulinemia, treatment with anti-CD20 agents during the last 12 months, hematologic malignancy, bone marrow transplantation, solid organ transplantation, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or severe primary immunodeficiency.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age \<60 years without significant immunosuppression.
* More than 72 hours have elapsed since collection of diagnostic sample.
* Pregnancy.

Where this trial is running

Ramat Gan

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: West Nile Fever, plasma, neuroinvasive WN disease

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.