Commercially Available Antivenoms (“Hyperimmune Sera”, “Antivenins”, “Antisera”) for Antivenom Therapy
Jürg Meier, Julian White in Handbook of: Clinical Toxicology of Animal Venoms and Poisons, 2017
The selection of the adequate hyperimmune serum has to meet the following requirements: Specificity: The hyperimmune serum used should be able to effectively neutralize the venom of the venomous animal involved in a given case of envenomation. Since geographical variability in animal venoms may be pronounced, the hyperimmune serum produced with the venom of a population of the respective venomous animal species, which occurs in the region of origin of the animal specimen that envenomed the patient to be cured, may be the preferable choice for use.Availability: While the different products are usually easily available in the countries of origin, import into other countries may often be timeconsuming, if ever possible. However, local poison control centers may inform about the nearest place, where the respective antivenom is on stock.
Bites and burns
Brice Antao, S Irish Michael, Anthony Lander, S Rothenberg MD Steven in Succeeding in Paediatric Surgery Examinations, 2017
Mild snakebite envenomation manifests with localised oedema and absence of systemic symptoms. These patients can be discharged from the hospital after an observation period of 24 hours. The oedema in moderate envenomation is more pronounced, there may be localised blisters and the patient experiences nonspecific systemic effects such as nausea, vomiting or tachycardia. Signs of severe envenomation include rapid progression of local and systemic signs, hypotension, petechiae, abnormal laboratory values, coagulopathy, seizures and death. It is important to transport the victim immediately to a specialised centre where the antivenin is administered without delay. Snake antivenin should be administered only in cases of moderate or severe envenomation, not mild. Because the blood volume in children is small in relation to the venom concentration, the dose of antivenin in paediatric patients is usually double the required dose for adults, not half. Immediately after the administration of antivenin, aggressive resuscitation with intravenous fluids should be instituted. Rarely, wound debridement and limb fasciotomy are needed, but the affected limb should be examined constantly in search of signs of compartment syndrome.
Centipede Envenomation Effects on Human Beings and Scientific Research on Traditional Antivenom Agents
Parimelazhagan Thangaraj in Medicinal Plants, 2018
Envenomation is responsible for several clinical complications of severe, systemic and local pathology. Immediate hypersensitivity triggered by venom may have direct toxic effects, inducing local reaction and clinical symptoms. The hypersensitivity is of four types based on their type of immune response and effector mechanism responsible for cell and tissue injury (Uzzaman and Cho 2012). Immediate or anaphylactic hypersensitivity (type I) is mediated by immunoglobulin E and results in eczema or skin damage. The primary cellular component of this type of hypersensitivity is mast cell and basinophills. The mast cell releases the histamines, platelet activation factors, vasoactive amines and allergens that result in itching and could cause erythema and local inflammation.
The kiss of (cell) death: can venom-induced immune response contribute to dermal necrosis following arthropod envenomations?
Published in Clinical Toxicology, 2019
John P. Dunbar, Ronan Sulpice, Michel M. Dugon
Variations in outcome after envenomation can also be explained by the volume of venom delivered. Snakes, spiders, centipedes and scorpions have been shown to adapt the amount of venom delivered according to the level of the perceived threat (cf. Venom Optimisation Hypothesis) [72–74]. In addition, venom glands may take several days or even weeks to replenish their stores and venom compounds may not be produced at the same rate. Therefore, envenomation by the same individual specimen may result in different subsequent immune response depending on the level of toxin replenishment and the quantity of venom injected [45]. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that in the case of envenomation by hymenopteran and dipteran, necrotic lesions developed only after multiple, simultaneous envenomations [2,8–10]. Regarding ischaemic necrosis, NETs could also potentially play a role in trapping material within blood capillaries and thus venom volume may have a critical role.
Report of a severe Heloderma suspectum envenomation
Published in Clinical Toxicology, 2021
Karim Amri, Jean-Philippe Chippaux
Helorderma bites usually occur in males during capture or care of captive specimen [2,4]. Most of bites are inflicted on the upper limb. Envenomation severity is variable but, most often the bite is painful, leading to local edema and mild general symptoms: dizziness, diaphoresis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. However, in few cases envenomation can be severe. Three life-threatening syndromes may be involved [4–9]: a) angioedema which can lead to respiratory tract obstruction, b) significant fluid losses due to diarrhea, vomiting and sweating, associated with hypokalemia and sometimes metabolic acidosis, and c) atrioventricular conduction disorders simulating cardiac ischemia. No deaths have been reported in more than 60 years. There is no currently available antivenom and the treatment is only symptomatic and supportive.
Nature and applications of scorpion venom: an overview
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2020
Saadia Tobassum, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Tariq Zahid, Shaukat Ali, Muhammad Mohsin Ahsan
Scorpion envenomation is a significant problem for public health and causes a wide range of clinical manifestations in sub-tropical and tropical countries (Chippaux and Goyffon 2008; Ferreira et al. 2016; Gomes et al. 2016). Scorpion venom contains a wide variety of biomolecules which can disturb physiological activity of the host on envenomation (Ding et al. 2014; Bechohra et al. 2016). Children and elderly patients have increased chance of complications due to this problem (Shahi et al. 2015). Mostly, this is a hazard for farm laborers, farmers, villagers, hunters, and migrating population (Bawaskar and Bawaskar 2012; Das et al. 2013). However, age, venom dosage, nutritional state, geographical area, and season of the scorpion, as well as weight and age of the victim, individual sensitivity, and site of sting are important parameters which affect the severity of envenomation (Afshari 2016).
Related Knowledge Centers
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