title: Update of antivenom supply for redback spider bites in Japan.
abstract: In autumn 2014, with great effort by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the research group will obtain several vials of redback spider (RBS) antivenom for emergency use. However, these small amounts of antivenom are insufficient to cover the demands from majority of hospitals in Japan. The research group carefully discussed the domestic RBS antivenom production by themselves for this emergency. We have now entered the second stage for large-scale antivenom production. Although the domestic production of RBS antivenom has started, great caution is required as we move forward with this plan.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Center, Kagawa University Hospital, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa 761-0793 Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hifumi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8916 Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Disease, Gakuen 4-7-1, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011 Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, National Institute of Infectious Disease, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640 Japan.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ato
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine and Trauma, National Hospital Organization Disaster Medical Center, 3256 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo, 190-0014 Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koido
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Center, Kagawa University Hospital, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa 761-0793 Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuroda
keywords: Antivenom; Domestic production; Redback spiders