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The New England Journal of Medicine Oct 2014
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Humans; Scorpion Stings; Scorpion Venoms
PubMed: 25317884
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1410354 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Oct 2014
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Humans; Scorpion Stings; Scorpion Venoms
PubMed: 25317888
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1410354 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Oct 2014
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Humans; Scorpion Stings; Scorpion Venoms
PubMed: 25317885
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1410354 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Aug 2020Limb-shaking transient ischaemic attack (LS-TIA) is a symptom of cerebral haemodynamic failure caused by large vessel disease. LS-TIA often remains unrecognised though... (Review)
Review
Limb-shaking transient ischaemic attack (LS-TIA) is a symptom of cerebral haemodynamic failure caused by large vessel disease. LS-TIA often remains unrecognised though associated with a poor prognosis. The patient presents with irregular hemiform jerks caused by ischaemia. Imaging demonstrating reduced perfusion or/and flow is essential for the diagnosis, and treatment is aimed at reducing development in atherosclerosis and improving perfusion. As described in this review, management is focused optimising secondary prevention, and in selected cases surgical interventions are considered. Evidence remains weak, especially as to surgical interventions.
Topics: Antivenins; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Snake Bites; Tremor
PubMed: 32800045
DOI: No ID Found -
Toxins Nov 2018Snakes, scorpions, and spiders are venomous animals that pose a threat to human health, and severe envenomings from the bites or stings of these animals must be treated... (Review)
Review
Snakes, scorpions, and spiders are venomous animals that pose a threat to human health, and severe envenomings from the bites or stings of these animals must be treated with antivenom. Current antivenoms are based on plasma-derived immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin fragments from hyper-immunized animals. Although these medicines have been life-saving for more than 120 years, opportunities to improve envenoming therapy exist. In the later decades, new biotechnological tools have been applied with the aim of improving the efficacy, safety, and affordability of antivenoms. Within the avenues explored, novel immunization strategies using synthetic peptide epitopes, recombinant toxins (or toxoids), or DNA strings as immunogens have demonstrated potential for generating antivenoms with high therapeutic antibody titers and broad neutralizing capacity. Furthermore, these approaches circumvent the need for venom in the production process of antivenoms, thereby limiting some of the complications associated with animal captivity and venom collection. Finally, an important benefit of innovative immunization approaches is that they are often compatible with existing antivenom manufacturing setups. In this review, we compile all reported studies examining venom-independent innovative immunization strategies for antivenom development. In addition, a brief description of toxin families of medical relevance found in snake, scorpion, and spider venoms is presented, as well as how biochemical, bioinformatic, and omics tools could aid the development of next-generation antivenoms.
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Humans; Snake Bites; Snake Venoms; Spider Bites; Spider Venoms
PubMed: 30400220
DOI: 10.3390/toxins10110452 -
New Biotechnology Oct 2018In this review, the different approaches that have been employed with the aim of developing novel antivenoms against animal envenomings are presented and discussed.... (Review)
Review
In this review, the different approaches that have been employed with the aim of developing novel antivenoms against animal envenomings are presented and discussed. Reported efforts have focused on the use of innovative immunization strategies, small molecule inhibitors against enzymatic toxins, endogenous animal proteins with toxin-neutralizing capabilities, and recombinant monoclonal antibodies. Harnessing either of these approaches, antivenom development may benefit from an in-depth understanding of venom compositions and the medical importance of individual venom toxins. Focus is thus also directed towards the different omics technologies (particularly venomics, antivenomics, and toxicovenomics) that are being used to uncover novel animal toxins, shed light on venom complexity, and provide directions for how to determine the medical relevance of individual toxins within whole venoms. Finally, techniques for assessing antivenom specificity and cross-reactivity are reviewed, with special focus on antivenomics and high-density peptide microarray technology.
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Proteomics
PubMed: 28552814
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2017.05.005 -
Cutis Mar 2024Scorpionfish are among the most venomous creatures found in American and Caribbean seas. Their envenomation is responsible for considerable morbidity and socioeconomic... (Review)
Review
Scorpionfish are among the most venomous creatures found in American and Caribbean seas. Their envenomation is responsible for considerable morbidity and socioeconomic burden associated with marine animal injuries. Avoiding physical contact with scorpionfish through proper identification prevails as the chief prevention method for stings. This article discusses common features of scorpionfish as well as the clinical presentation and treatment options following exposure to its toxins.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Bites and Stings; Fishes, Poisonous; Fish Venoms; Antivenins
PubMed: 38648593
DOI: 10.12788/cutis.0973 -
Toxins Sep 2022Snakebite envenomation is considered a neglected tropical disease, affecting tens of thousands of people each year. The recommended treatment is the use of antivenom,... (Review)
Review
Snakebite envenomation is considered a neglected tropical disease, affecting tens of thousands of people each year. The recommended treatment is the use of antivenom, which is composed of immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin fragments obtained from the plasma of animals hyperimmunized with one (monospecific) or several (polyspecific) venoms. In this review, the efforts made in the improvement of the already available antivenoms and the development of new antivenoms, focusing on snakes of medical importance from sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, are described. Some antivenoms currently used are composed of whole IgGs, whereas others use F(ab')2 fragments. The classic methods of attaining snake antivenoms are presented, in addition to new strategies to improve their effectiveness. Punctual changes in immunization protocols, in addition to the use of cross-reactivity between venoms from different snakes for the manufacture of more potent and widely used antivenoms, are presented. It is known that venoms are a complex mixture of components; however, advances in the field of antivenoms have shown that there are key toxins that, if effectively blocked, are capable of reversing the condition of in vivo envenomation. These studies provide an opportunity for the use of monoclonal antibodies in the development of new-generation antivenoms. Thus, monoclonal antibodies and their fragments are described as a possible alternative for the production of antivenoms, regardless of the venom. This review also highlights the challenges associated with their development.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antivenins; Humans; Immunoglobulin Fragments; Snake Bites; Snakes
PubMed: 36136544
DOI: 10.3390/toxins14090606 -
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2019Snakebite envenomation is an important health problem in tropical countries, with severe human and social consequences. In Latin America, the Bothrops species constitute... (Review)
Review
Snakebite envenomation is an important health problem in tropical countries, with severe human and social consequences. In Latin America, the Bothrops species constitute the main threat to humans, and the envenomation caused by these species quickly develops into severe local tissue damage, including swelling, hemorrhaging, myonecrosis, skin ulceration, and pain. The systemic effects of envenomation are usually neutralized by antivenom serum therapy, despite its intrinsic risks. However, neutralization of local tissue damage remains a challenge. To improve actual therapy, two major alternatives are proposed: the rational design of new specific antibodies for most of the tissue damaging/ poor immunogenic toxins, or the search for new synthetic or natural compounds which are able to inhibit these toxins and complement the serum therapy. Natural compounds isolated from plants, mainly from those used in folk medicine to treat snakebite, are a good choice for finding new lead compounds to improve snakebite treatment and minimize its consequences for the victims. In this article, we reviewed the most promising plants and phytocompounds active against bothropic venoms.
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Biological Products; Bothrops; Humans; Molecular Structure; Phytochemicals; Plant Extracts; Snake Venoms
PubMed: 31340736
DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666190723153925 -
Toxins Sep 2018Diagnostic tests for arachnid accidents remain unavailable for patients and clinicians. Together with snakes, these accidents are still a global medical concern, and are... (Review)
Review
Diagnostic tests for arachnid accidents remain unavailable for patients and clinicians. Together with snakes, these accidents are still a global medical concern, and are recognized as neglected tropical issues. Due to arachnid toxins' fast mechanism of action, quick detection and quantification of venom is required to accelerate treatment decisions, rationalize therapy, and reduce costs and patient risks. This review aims to understand the current limitations for arachnid venom identification and quantification in biological samples. We benchmarked the already existing initiatives regarding test requirements (sample or biomarkers of choice), performances (time, detection limit, sensitivity and specificity) and their validation (on animal models or on samples from envenomed humans). Our analysis outlines unmet needs for improving diagnosis and consequently treatment of arachnid accidents. Hence, based on lessons from past attempts, we propose a road map for raising best practice guidelines, leading to recommendations for future progress in the development of arachnid diagnostic assays.
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Biological Assay; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Humans; Spider Bites; Spider Venoms
PubMed: 30201918
DOI: 10.3390/toxins10090365