English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Background  Snakebite is a significant cause of death and disability in subsistent farming populations of sub-Saharan Africa. Antivenom is the most effective treatment of envenoming and is manufactured from IgG of venom-immunised horses/sheep but, because of complex fiscal reasons, there is a paucity of antivenom in sub-Saharan Africa. To address the plight of thousands of snakebite victims in savannah Nigeria, the EchiTAb Study Group organised the production, testing and delivery of antivenoms designed to treat envenoming by the most medically-important snakes in the region. The  Echis  saw-scaled vipers have a wide African distribution and medical importance. In an effort to maximise the clinical utility of scarce antivenom resources in Africa, we aimed to ascertain, at the pre-clinical level, to what extent the  E. ocellatus -specific EchiTAbG antivenom, which was designed specifically for Nigeria, neutralised the lethal activity of venom from two other African species,  E. pyramidum leakeyi  and  E. coloratus .    Methodology/Principal Findings  Despite apparently quite distinctive venom protein profiles, we observed extensive cross-species similarity in the immuno-reactivity profiles of  Echis  species-specific antisera. Using WHO standard pre-clinical  in vivo  tests, we determined that the monospecific EchiTAbG antivenom was as effective at neutralising the venom-induced lethal effects of  E. pyramidum leakeyi  and  E. coloratus  as it was against  E. ocellatus  venom. Under the restricted conditions of this assay, the antivenom was ineffective against the lethal effects of venom from the non-African  Echis  species,  E. carinatus sochureki .    Conclusions/Significance  Using WHO-recommended pre-clinical tests we have demonstrated that the new anti- E. ocellatus  monospecific antivenom EchiTAbG, developed in response to the considerable snakebite-induced mortality and morbidity in Nigeria, neutralised the lethal effects of venoms from  Echis  species representing each taxonomic group of this genus in Africa. This suggests that this monospecific antivenom has potential to treat envenoming by most, perhaps all, African  Echis  species.

Pre-Clinical Assays Predict Pan-African Echis Viper Efficacy for a Species-Specific Antivenom