title: Neutralization of Bothrops alternatus regional venom pools and individual venoms by antivenom: a systematic comparison.
abstract: In this study we report that variation in lethality, hemorrhagic potency and procoagulation between individual samples of Bothrops alternatus venom from a single region, and variation between regional pools at the national level are comparable in range. Furthermore, the range of relative neutralization potencies of individual venoms within a region overlaps, and sometimes exceeds, the range of neutralization of regional venom pools throughout the country. Thus, the potency of neutralization of a national venom pool is poorly predictive of the potencies of neutralization of its constituent regional venom pools and, furthermore, the potency of neutralization of a regional venom pool is poorly predictive of the potencies of neutralization of its individual venom constituents. The efficiencies of neutralization of each of these effects (lethality, hemorrhage and procoagulation) were not significantly related to each other and did not correlate to the corresponding toxic potency of each venom or venom pool. Some implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the distinction between experimental quantitation of antivenom potency and the amount of antivenom that might be actually required to successfully treat two apparently comparable B. alternatus envenomations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Toxinopatología, Centro de Patología Experimental y Aplicada, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Uriburu 950, 5° Piso, Lab. 555 (1427) Buenos Aires, Argentina. aderoodt@gmail.com
authors.forename: Adolfo Rafael
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: de Roodt
authors.forename: Laura Cecilia
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lanari
authors.forename: Vanessa Costa
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Rodrigo Daniel
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Laskowicz
authors.forename: Roberto Pablo
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Stock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001118:Argentina; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017837:Bothrops / Q000276:immunology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins