Development of a rapid and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring venom antigens after an experimental snake bite.
We describe a new ELISA which allows the measurement of the concentration of venom antigens in whole blood. The assay can be performed in less than 20 min and requires a 200 microliters sample of blood. It allows the accurate evaluation of concentrations of Vipera ammodytes venom in quantities smaller than 1 ng/ml of blood. Using this ELISA, we were able to follow in rabbits the kinetics of experimental envenomation with non-lethal doses of venom. This ELISA was also used to measure post mortem the level of venom antigens in various tissues such as liver, kidney, muscles and abdominal serosity of a rabbit. The method, which might be adapted to measure envenomation by other snake species, seems to be sufficiently rapid and sensitive to allow routine evaluation of the gravity of a snake bite in humans and to estimate the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Labrousse
H
H
Unité d'Immunocytochimie, UA 359, CNRS, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Nishikawa
A K
AK
Bon
C
C
Avrameas
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D012910:Snake Venoms