title: Lethality and histopathological alterations caused by Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom from Argentina: Neutralization of lethality by experimental and therapeutic antivenoms.
abstract: Although the spiders of the genus Phoneutria cause envenomation and their presence has been described in several provinces of the north of Argentina, they are not as common as other spiders of sanitary importance. In the present work, we studied the toxicity of samples of venom of Phoneutria spiders from the provinces of Misiones (where severe envenomation and deaths by Phoneutria have been recorded) and Jujuy (where no deaths have been recorded and severe envenomations are not frequent). To this end, we assessed the lethal potency in mice and guinea pigs and the histopathological alterations caused by both venoms, as well as the neutralization by the commonly used therapeutic antivenom produced by the Butantan Institute in Brazil and by an experimental antivenom developed with venom of P. nigriventer from Misiones. There were no differences in the lethality of the venoms of spiders from both regions. Post mortem examination showed that the heart and lungs were the most affected organs, while important pulmonary edema was seen macroscopically. Histological analysis showed edema, atelectasis, emphysema and cardiac lesion in both experimental models. The antivenoms assayed showed good neutralization of the venoms in the two experimental models. Despite the different geographic origins, the venoms showed similar toxicity and both the experimental antivenom and therapeutic antivenmos were able to neutralize the venoms of Argentinean P. nigriventer.
authors.affiliation: Primera Cátedra de Toxicología, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Área Investigación y Desarrollo - Venenos, Instituto Nacional de Producción de Biológicos, ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Ministry of Health, Argentina; Laboratorio de Toxinopatología, Centro de Patología Experimental y Aplicada, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: aderoodt@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adolfo Rafael
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: de Roodt
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Toxinopatología, Centro de Patología Experimental y Aplicada, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Néstor Rubén
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Lago
authors.affiliation: Área Investigación y Desarrollo - Venenos, Instituto Nacional de Producción de Biológicos, ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Ministry of Health, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura Cecilia
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lanari
authors.affiliation: Área Investigación y Desarrollo - Venenos, Instituto Nacional de Producción de Biológicos, ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Ministry of Health, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Daniel
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Laskowicz
authors.affiliation: Primera Cátedra de Toxicología, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Toxinopatología, Centro de Patología Experimental y Aplicada, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología de Altura, National University of Jujuy, San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina.
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neder de Román
authors.affiliation: Dirección Nacional de Determinantes de la Salud e Investigación, Ministry of Health, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ernesto Horacio
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: de Titto
authors.affiliation: Primera Cátedra de Toxicología, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carlos Fabián
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Damin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001118:Argentina; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D013111:Spider Venoms
keywords: Antivenom; Phoneutria; Therapeutic; Toxicity; Venom; spiders