Assessment of an ovine antivenom raised against venom from the desert black cobra (Walterinnesia aegyptia).
The desert black cobra (Walterinnesia aegyptia) is an elapid widely distributed throughout the deserts of Saudi Arabia and currently available antivenoms are ineffective in the treatment of its envenoming. Walterinnesia aegyptia venom was assessed for several of its physicochemical, enzymatic and biological characteristics. An antivenom was raised in sheep using a low-dose immunization schedule and digested with papain to provide Fab fragments. The antivenom neutralized all of the above enzymatic and biological activities and provided good protection in mice (ED50 0.25 g/kg), whereas the commercial polyspecific products showed only partial neutralization and did not protect mice.
al-Asmari
A K
AK
Department of Chemical Pathology, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, U.K.
al-Abdulla
I H
IH
Crouch
R G
RG
Smith
D C
DC
Sjostrom
L
L
D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D012756:Sheep
D000997:Antivenins; D004546:Elapid Venoms; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G