Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.

<h4>Background</h4>Snakebite is a major public health concern in Eswatini, where treatment relies upon one antivenom-SAIMR Polyvalent. Although effective in treating snakebite, SAIMR Polyvalent is difficult to source outside its manufacturing country (South Africa) and is dauntingly expe...

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Main Authors: Stefanie K Menzies, Thea Litschka-Koen, Rebecca J Edge, Jaffer Alsolaiss, Edouard Crittenden, Steven R Hall, Adam Westhorpe, Brent Thomas, James Murray, Nondusimo Shongwe, Sara Padidar, David G Lalloo, Nicholas R Casewell, Jonathan Pons, Robert A Harrison
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-09-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010496&type=printable
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author Stefanie K Menzies
Thea Litschka-Koen
Rebecca J Edge
Jaffer Alsolaiss
Edouard Crittenden
Steven R Hall
Adam Westhorpe
Brent Thomas
James Murray
Nondusimo Shongwe
Sara Padidar
David G Lalloo
Nicholas R Casewell
Jonathan Pons
Robert A Harrison
author_facet Stefanie K Menzies
Thea Litschka-Koen
Rebecca J Edge
Jaffer Alsolaiss
Edouard Crittenden
Steven R Hall
Adam Westhorpe
Brent Thomas
James Murray
Nondusimo Shongwe
Sara Padidar
David G Lalloo
Nicholas R Casewell
Jonathan Pons
Robert A Harrison
author_sort Stefanie K Menzies
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Snakebite is a major public health concern in Eswatini, where treatment relies upon one antivenom-SAIMR Polyvalent. Although effective in treating snakebite, SAIMR Polyvalent is difficult to source outside its manufacturing country (South Africa) and is dauntingly expensive. We compared the preclinical venom-neutralising efficacy of two alternative antivenoms with that of SAIMR Polyvalent against the lethal and tissue-destructive effects of venoms from five species of medically important snakes using in vivo murine assays. The test antivenoms were 'Panafrican' manufactured by Instituto Clodomiro Picado and 'PANAF' manufactured by Premium Serums & Vaccines.<h4>Principal findings</h4>In vivo murine preclinical studies identified both test antivenoms were equally or more effective than SAIMR Polyvalent at neutralising lethal and tissue-destructive effects of Naja mossambica venom. Both test antivenoms were less effective than SAIMR Polyvalent at neutralising the lethal effects of Bitis arietans, Dendroaspis polylepis, Hemachatus haemachatus and Naja annulifera venoms, but similarly effective at neutralising tissue damage induced by B. arietans and H. haemachatus venoms. In vitro immunological assays identified that the titres and toxin-specificities of immunoglobulins (iGs) in the test antivenoms were comparable to that of SAIMR Polyvalent. Plasma clotting disturbances by H. haemachatus and N. mossambica were neutralised by the test antivenoms, whereas SAIMR Polyvalent failed to neutralise this bioactivity of N. mossambica venom. B. arietans SVMP activity was equally reduced by all three antivenoms, and H. haemachatus and N. mossambica PLA2 activities were neutralised by all three antivenoms.<h4>Conclusions</h4>While both Panafrican and PANAF antivenoms exhibited promising preclinical efficacies, both were less poly-specifically effective than SAIMR Polyvalent in these murine assays. The efficacy of these antivenoms against the lethal and tissue-destructive effects of N. mossambica venom, the most common biting species in Eswatini, identify that Panafrican and PANAF antivenoms offer effective alternatives to SAIMR Polyvalent for the treatment of snakebite in Eswatini, and potentially for neighbouring countries.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
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publishDate 2022-09-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-4acbcbf4391145289c9bee4634ee4dfc2025-08-20T03:25:16ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352022-09-01169e001049610.1371/journal.pntd.0010496Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.Stefanie K MenziesThea Litschka-KoenRebecca J EdgeJaffer AlsolaissEdouard CrittendenSteven R HallAdam WesthorpeBrent ThomasJames MurrayNondusimo ShongweSara PadidarDavid G LallooNicholas R CasewellJonathan PonsRobert A Harrison<h4>Background</h4>Snakebite is a major public health concern in Eswatini, where treatment relies upon one antivenom-SAIMR Polyvalent. Although effective in treating snakebite, SAIMR Polyvalent is difficult to source outside its manufacturing country (South Africa) and is dauntingly expensive. We compared the preclinical venom-neutralising efficacy of two alternative antivenoms with that of SAIMR Polyvalent against the lethal and tissue-destructive effects of venoms from five species of medically important snakes using in vivo murine assays. The test antivenoms were 'Panafrican' manufactured by Instituto Clodomiro Picado and 'PANAF' manufactured by Premium Serums & Vaccines.<h4>Principal findings</h4>In vivo murine preclinical studies identified both test antivenoms were equally or more effective than SAIMR Polyvalent at neutralising lethal and tissue-destructive effects of Naja mossambica venom. Both test antivenoms were less effective than SAIMR Polyvalent at neutralising the lethal effects of Bitis arietans, Dendroaspis polylepis, Hemachatus haemachatus and Naja annulifera venoms, but similarly effective at neutralising tissue damage induced by B. arietans and H. haemachatus venoms. In vitro immunological assays identified that the titres and toxin-specificities of immunoglobulins (iGs) in the test antivenoms were comparable to that of SAIMR Polyvalent. Plasma clotting disturbances by H. haemachatus and N. mossambica were neutralised by the test antivenoms, whereas SAIMR Polyvalent failed to neutralise this bioactivity of N. mossambica venom. B. arietans SVMP activity was equally reduced by all three antivenoms, and H. haemachatus and N. mossambica PLA2 activities were neutralised by all three antivenoms.<h4>Conclusions</h4>While both Panafrican and PANAF antivenoms exhibited promising preclinical efficacies, both were less poly-specifically effective than SAIMR Polyvalent in these murine assays. The efficacy of these antivenoms against the lethal and tissue-destructive effects of N. mossambica venom, the most common biting species in Eswatini, identify that Panafrican and PANAF antivenoms offer effective alternatives to SAIMR Polyvalent for the treatment of snakebite in Eswatini, and potentially for neighbouring countries.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010496&type=printable
spellingShingle Stefanie K Menzies
Thea Litschka-Koen
Rebecca J Edge
Jaffer Alsolaiss
Edouard Crittenden
Steven R Hall
Adam Westhorpe
Brent Thomas
James Murray
Nondusimo Shongwe
Sara Padidar
David G Lalloo
Nicholas R Casewell
Jonathan Pons
Robert A Harrison
Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
title_full Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
title_fullStr Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
title_full_unstemmed Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
title_short Two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce Eswatini's dependency upon a single, increasingly unavailable product: Results of preclinical efficacy testing.
title_sort two snakebite antivenoms have potential to reduce eswatini s dependency upon a single increasingly unavailable product results of preclinical efficacy testing
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010496&type=printable
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