Neutralization of crotaline snake venoms from Central and South America by antivenoms produced in Brazil and Costa Rica (original) (raw)
Related papers
Toxicon, 2003
Polyvalent (Crotalinae) and anticoral (Elapidae) antivenoms produced by Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Costa Rica, were assessed for their ability to neutralize various toxic activities of the venoms of North American snakes of the genera Crotalus, Agkistrodon and Micrurus, in assays involving preincubation of venom and antivenom. When the intraperitoneal route of injection was utilized, polyvalent (Crotalinae) antivenom was effective in the neutralization of the venoms of Crotalus atrox, Crotalus adamanteus, Crotalus viridis viridis, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus, Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix and Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus, whereas the venom of Crotalus scutulatus was not neutralized. When the intravenous route was used, results differed depending on the 'challenge dose' of venom employed. Polyvalent antivenom neutralized all venoms when mice were challenged with 2 LD 50 s of venom. When 5 LD 50 s were used, antivenom neutralized the venoms of C. atrox, C. adamanteus, C. v. viridis and C. h. atricaudatus, being ineffective in the neutralization of C. scutulatus, A. c. contortrix and A. p. piscivorus. Polyvalent antivenom was effective in the neutralization of hemorrhagic and myotoxic activities of all venoms studied. It also neutralized coagulant activity of C. adamanteus venom, whereas most of the venoms were devoid of clotting activity on plasma in vitro. Moreover, it neutralized defibrinating activity of the only three venoms that induced this effect (i.e. C. adamanteus, A. c. contortrix and A. p. piscivorus). Anticoral (Elapidae) antivenom neutralized lethality induced by the venom of Micrurus fulvius, using either the intravenous or the intraperitoneal routes of injection. Moreover, it neutralized myotoxic effect of this venom as well. It is concluded that polyvalent antivenom neutralizes lethality and other activities of most of the crotaline venoms tested. However, since it is ineffective in neutralizing the lethal effect of C. scutulatus venom, it is suggested that a venom containing presynaptically-active neurotoxic phospholipases A 2 related to 'mojave toxin' needs to be introduced in the immunizing mixture in order to increase the neutralizing scope of this product in North America. Anticoral antivenom is highly effective in the neutralization of the venom of M. fulvius. q
Toxicon, 2010
Species of the genus Bothrops induce the vast majority of snakebite envenomings in Latin America. A preclinical study was performed in the context of a regional network of public laboratories involved in the production, quality control and development of antivenoms in Latin America. The ability of seven polyspecific antivenoms, produced in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Costa Rica, to neutralize lethal, hemorrhagic, coagulant, defibrinogenating and myotoxic activities of the venoms of Bothrops neuwiedi (diporus) (Argentina), Bothrops jararaca (Brazil), B. neuwiedi (mattogrossensis) (Bolivia), Bothrops atrox (Peru and Colombia) and Bothrops asper (Costa Rica) was assessed using standard laboratory tests. Despite differences in the venom mixtures used in the immunization of animals for the production of these antivenoms, a pattern of extensive cross-neutralization was observed between these antivenoms and all the venoms tested, with quantitative differences in the values of effective doses. This study reveals the capacity of these antivenoms to neutralize, in preclinical tests, homologous and heterologous Bothrops venoms in Central and South America, and also highlight quantitative differences in the values of Median Effective Doses (ED50s) between the various antivenoms.
Acta Tropica, 2005
Envenomations after bites inflicted by snakes of the genus Bothrops constitute a public health hazard in Perú, and the intravenous administration of equine-derived antivenoms represents the only scientifically validated treatment. This study presents a preclinical assessment of the efficacy of two whole IgG antivenoms, prepared in Perú and Costa Rica, to neutralize the most relevant toxic effects induced by the venoms of Bothrops atrox, B. brazili, B. barnetti and B. pictus from Perú. Peruvian antivenom is produced by immunizing horses with Bothrops sp. venoms from this country, whereas the production of Costa Rican antivenom involves immunization with venoms from Central American snakes. The neutralization of lethal, hemorrhagic, edema-forming, myotoxic, coagulant and defibrinating activities was evaluated in assays involving incubation of venom and antivenom prior to testing. Both antivenoms were effective in the neutralization of these effects, with quantitative variations in the values of effective dose 50% depending on the effects being studied. Peruvian antivenom was more effective in the neutralization of lethality induced by B. atrox and B. barnetti venoms. However, Peruvian antivenom failed to neutralize coagulant activity of B. barnetti venom and edema-forming activity of B. brazili venom, whereas neutralization was achieved by Costa Rican antivenom. It is concluded that an extensive immunological cross-reactivity exists between Bothrops sp. venoms from Perú and Costa Rica, and that both antivenoms are effective in the neutralization of these four venoms in a rodent model of envenoming.
Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, 2012
Cross-neutralization of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom coagulant activity was tested using bivalent horse antivenom against Bothrops alternatus and Bothrops diporus venoms. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that bothropic antivenom neutralizes the thrombin-like activity of crotalic snake venom and this cross-reaction was demonstrated by immunoassays either with whole venom or a purified thrombin-like enzyme. These results suggest common antigenic properties and, consequently, similar molecular structure among venom thrombin-like enzymes. Besides, they provide information that could be further used in the development of new antivenom formulations.
The efficacy of two antivenoms against the venom of North American snakes
Toxicon, 2003
Mortality due to snake envenomation is not a major problem in the United States with approximately 8–12 deaths per year, but envenomation is a serious problem that can result in functional disability, loss of extremities, and a costly recovery. Physicians encounter different clinical situations with each new snakebite victim because of the geographical variations in snake venoms. The best and most acceptable form of treatment is the use of antivenom; however, it must be administered as soon as possible since it is not so effective at reducing local signs of envenomation such as necrosis. The antivenom in the United States is in short supply, expensive and may not even be the most effective for neutralizing all North American snake venoms. In this study, we tested two antivenoms. The first was a Crotalidae Polyvalent Fab fragment with Ovine origin (FabO) manufactured in London, and the second was Antivipmyn, a Mexican manufactured antivenom that is F(ab′)2 fragment produced in horse (Fab2H). The efficacy of the two antivenoms was tested with 15 different snake venoms found in North America. Three different assays were used to test the efficacy of the antivenoms, the in vivo serum protection test (ED50), antihemorrhagic and anticoagulant. The Fab2H antivenom was most effective in neutralizing the hemorrhagic activity of 78% of the hemorrhagic venoms used in this study. In the ED50 assay, the Fab2H antivenom was effective in neutralizing all venoms used in this study, while FabO neutralized all but C. m. molossus venom. However, in most cases, FabO required less antivenom than Fab2H antivenom to neutralize three LD50.
Cross reactivity of three antivenoms against North American snake venoms
Toxicon, 2003
The antivenom in the United States today is in short supply, expensive and may not even be the most effective in neutralizing venoms from snakes in certain geographical locations. The ED 50 is considered to be the best indicator of antivenom efficacy, however, other tests are needed. In this study, three antivenoms (Antivipmyn (Fab 2 H), Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (FabO) and UCV (FabV) were used to test the effectiveness of neutralization of eight venoms (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus, Bothrops asper, Crotalus adamanteus, C. durissus durissus, C. horridus atricaudatus, C. h. horridus, C. atrox, and C. molossus molossus). Four different assays were used to study the efficacy of the antivenoms: the antihemorrhagic, antigelatinase, antifibrinolytic and antihide powder azure. Fab 2 H antivenom was more effective in neutralizing the enzymatic activities of these eight venoms than FabO and FabV antivenoms.
Revista de Biología Tropical
The assessment of the preclinical neutralizing ability of antivenoms in Latin America is necessary to determine their scope of efficacy. This study was aimed at analyzing the neutralizing efficacy of a polyspecific bothropic-crotalic antivenom manufactured by BIRMEX in Mexico against lethal, hemorrhagic, defibrinogenating and in vitro coagulant activities of the venoms of Bothrops jararaca (Brazil), B. atrox (Perú and Colombia), B. diporus (Argentina), B. mattogrossensis (Bolivia), and B. asper (Costa Rica). Standard laboratory tests to determine these activities were used. In agreement with previous studies with bothropic antivenoms in Latin America, a pattern of cross-neutralization of heterologous venoms was observed. However, the antivenom had low neutralizing potency against defibrinogenating effect of the venoms of B. atrox (Colombia) and B. asper (Costa Rica), and failed to neutralize the in vitro coagulant activity of the venom of B. asper (Costa Rica) at the highest antiven...
Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 2014
The toxicological profile of the venoms of the snakes Bothrops asper and Bothrops atrox from Ecuador was investigated, together with the venom of a population of B. asper formerly classified as 'Bothrops xanthogrammus'. The three venoms exerted lethal, hemorrhagic, myotoxic, coagulant and defibrinogenating effects, in agreement with the characteristic toxicological profile of Bothrops sp venoms. A polyspecific antivenom (bothropic-crotalic-lachesic) manufactured in Costa Rica was assessed for its preclinical efficacy against the toxic activities of these Ecuadorian venoms. Antivenom was effective in the neutralization of the five activities tested in the three venoms. These observations are in agreement with previous reports on the extensive cross-reactivity and paraspecific neutralization of antivenoms manufactured in Latin America against the venoms of Bothrops sp snakes.
Biological activities of venoms from South American snakes
Toxicon, 1992
Biological activities of venoms from South American snakes. Toxicon 30, 95-103, 1992 .-Standard assay procedures for the characterization of snake venoms, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for the Control of Antivenoms (CCCA), were used to analyse 33 snake venoms including eight International Reference Venoms for the assessment of lethal, defibrinogenating, procoagulant, haemorrhagic and necrotizing properties. The International Reference Venoms were assayed as part of an International Collaborative Programme for the evaluation of Venoms and Antivenoms; the results showed a close relationship to those obtained by the CCCA. Twentyfive venoms from 13 different species of medically important snakes from South America were assayed as standardized by the WHO-CCCA. Additionally, evaluation of lethal activity by the i.p. and intra cerebroventricular routes, proteolytic effects and venom-induced edema were also determined. Venom yields from captive snakes are also presented. Among the venoms examined, from the subfamily Crotalinae, the members of the genera Bothrops and Lachesis had strong haemorrhagic, proteolytic and edemainducing activities, whereas all Crotalus durissus species had none. The Elapinae, Micrurus frontalis showed no procoagulant, defibrinogenating, haemorrhagic, necrotizing or proteolytic activities. The results reflect differences among individual samples of the same species and of different geographical regions. The results suggest that there is little or no relationship between the properties of the different venoms and that the determination of one effect cannot predict the value of the others. Therefore, the characterization of the different activities of snake venoms is necessary if toxicity is to be properly evaluated and neutralized .