A RATIONAL IMMUNOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR ELAPID ENVENOMING TREATMENT

 

Nguyeãn Thò Nguyeät Thu

Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City

Summary

Antivenom therapy is hampered by a high rate of adverse reactions. The three types I, II and III of hypersensitivity reactions all are mediated by antibodies and complement also participate in type III. The most elapid venoms contain non-toxic complement-like components. So, only lethal toxins isolated from elapid venoms were used for raising specific high affinity antibodies. Efficient protective potency was observed. A polyvalent ‘serum’ against elapid toxins under Fab solution form was proposed for early administration to neurotoxic envenoming cases at local level.