Neutralization of Vipera and Macrovipera venoms by two experimental polyvalent antisera: a study of paraspecificity.

We conducted an extensive study of neutralization of lethality of 11 species and one subspecies of snakes of the genus Vipera, and of five species of Macrovipera, by two experimental equine antisera. One antiserum was a trivalent preparation raised against the venoms of Vipera aspis aspis, Vipera berus berus and Vipera ammodytes ammodytes; the other was a pentavalent preparation that also included venoms of Vipera (now Montivipera) xanthina and Macrovipera lebetina obtusa. We measured specific neutralization of lethality against all venoms included in the immunization schemes, and paraspecific neutralization against the venoms of Vipera ammodytes montandoni, Vipera (Montivipera) bornmuelleri, Vipera latastei, Vipera (Mo.