Find serum to treat all snake bites for the poor

Scientists are working together to create an antidote from all deadly snake species in sub-Saharan Africa.

>>> Howare bitten by poisonous snakes, first aid?

According to the latest news on Independent (UK), researchers at Liverpool Tropical Medicine School (LSTM) are using a new technique called "antivenomics" to temporarily boost the the ability to extract venom from snakes in the process of making serum.

Scientists will soon find venomous antidote for all cases.

Antidote is made from venom taken from snakes, spiders or insects, respectively. Poison is diluted and injected into horses, sheep or goats. The host will undergo an immune reaction to the poison, producing antibodies against the poison. These antibodies can be taken from the host's blood and used to treat venom.

In fact, the methods for creating traditional venom antagonists have a much lower success rate due to the reduction of the amount and level of venom taken.

Speaking about the aforementioned scientific work, the head of the research team - Dr. Robert Harrison said: 'There are more than 20 deadly venomous snakes living in sub-Saharan Africa and regular doctors. must rely on the victim's descriptions, sometimes quite sketchy or even confusing, to determine which snake species attacked them, thereby deciding which type of serum or antidote to use to cure people. sick".

Antidote for snake venom (specific serum) is usually quite expensive.

Because of the lack of such information, doctors will often give snakebites to antidote for many types of venom, or different types of specific serum - anti-venom may help produce resistance. can resist poison of almost all snakes.

However, this is an expensive option that poor farmers in Africa cannot afford to pay even though they themselves are frequent victims of dozens of deadly snakes living in the area.

In addition, the use of a variety of specific serums for a snake bite (because of the unidentified type of poisonous snake that attacked the victim) also increases the risk of suffering from terrible side effects.

Thousands of people die because they cannot afford to buy venomous snake antidote in Africa every year.

Currently, depending on the method of venom extraction, only a very small amount of venom from different venomous snakes is extracted, resulting in limited amount of antimicrobial substances - something that the LSTM research team raised It is hoped that it will be possible to change and bring the serotypes resistant to venom of all types of snakes to poor African people.

This is considered a breakthrough that can save tens of thousands of lives every year. It is known that in sub-Saharan Africa alone, 32,000 people die each year from being bitten by poisonous snakes and more than 96,000 are disabled by forcing their hands and feet to hit snake venom.