title: Antigenic cross-reactivity and immunogenicity of Bothrops venoms from snakes of the Amazon region.
abstract: Snakebites are still a critical public health problem in developing countries or isolated areas. In Brazil, the North Region has a high distribution coefficient worsened by the significant number of eventually unreported cases, due to difficulties in access to health services, to the natural geographic barriers and the vast territory. In the Rio Negro area, the species Bothrops atrox, Bothrops brazili, Lachesis muta muta and Bothriopsis taeniata are thought to be the major species responsible for snakebites. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the antigenic cross-reactivity and expression of toxins and the immunogenicity of Bothrops venom species of the Amazon and to evaluate the general efficacy of the therapeutic sera. The in vivo assays demonstrated that the defibrinating activity of B. taeniata venom was absent but that the lethal and hemorrhagic properties were more intense than in the B. atrox venom. The results evidence venom variability among the two B. atrox populations from two distinct Amazonian regions, which may reveal a subjacent speciation process. The results point to new aspects that may guide the improvement of anti-Bothropic therapeutic serum.
authors.affiliation: Herpetology Laboratories, Butantan Institute, Av. Prof. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP 05503-000 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima D
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Silvia Travaglia
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Oscar Espellet
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Aparecida Pietro
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Daniel Silva
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Denise Vilarinho
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Tambourgi
authors.forename: Osvaldo Augusto
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sant'Anna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017837:Bothrops / Q000145:classification*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D003435:Crotalid Venoms