Open AccessPRODUCTION OF AN EFFECTIVE ANTI-Bothrops-TETANUS MIXED HYPERIMMUNE SERUM OF EQUINE ORIGIN
Author(s) -
Rosalvo Guidolin,
Marco Antônio Stephano,
Josefina Farina Morais,
E. H. Sakaguti,
Sally Müller Affonso Prado,
Fernando Fratelli,
Mary Dalva Caparroz Vancetto,
Hisako Gondo Higashi
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
the journal of venomous animals and toxins/the journal of venomous animals and toxins
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1678-4936
pISSN - 0104-7930
DOI - 10.1590/s0104-79301998000100007
Subject(s) - bothrops , tetanus , titer , venom , envenomation , antigen , toxoid , antibody , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , snake venom , biology , vaccination , biochemistry
The present investigation reveals the possibility of simultaneous immunization of horses with Bothrops or Crotalus snake venoms and Tetanus antigens for the production of anti-Bothrops-Tetanus or anti-Crotalus-Tetanus mixed serum, with high titers of the respective specific antibodies. Bothrops antivenoms with an average neutralizing titer of 4.16 mg venom/ml were obtained from plasma of horses with titers lower than 0.5 mg venom/ml when Tetanus antigens were not used. This suggests the existence of a synergism between Bothrops venoms and Tetanus antigens in the stimulation of the antibody response. The pooled plasma of the animals had a neutralizing titer of 21.0 mg/ml reference Bothrops venoms and 3,300 IU/ml to Tetanus antigens after purification by enzymatic digestion and ammonium sulphate precipitation. These experiments lead us to conclude that Bothrops envenomation therapy can be successfully performed using anti-Bothrops-Tetanus serum also serving as Tetanus prophylaxis. Anti-Crotalus-Tetanus serum can also be produced, although it is not of medical interest as Crotalus envenomation rarely results in local necrotizing lesions