Livestock herding and Fulani ethnicity are a combined risk factor for development of early adverse reactions to antivenom treatment: Findings from a cross-sectional study in Nigeria.

Background: Adverse reactions to antivenom considerably complicate the clinical management of snakebite envenomed patients because it necessitates a temporary suspension of life-saving antivenom, increases costs and can compromise patient outcomes. This study sought to explore the association between cattle-herding occupation and ethnic group and the occurrence of early adverse reactions to antivenom.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between the 25th April and 11th July 2011 at the Kaltungo General Hospital in north east Nigeria.

Snake venomics of African spitting cobras: toxin composition and assessment of congeneric cross-reactivity of the pan-African EchiTAb-Plus-ICP antivenom by antivenomics and neutralization approaches.

Venomic analysis of the venoms of Naja nigricollis, N. katiensis, N. nubiae, N.

Pre-clinical assays predict pan-African Echis viper efficacy for a species-specific antivenom.

Background: Snakebite is a significant cause of death and disability in subsistent farming populations of sub-Saharan Africa. Antivenom is the most effective treatment of envenoming and is manufactured from IgG of venom-immunised horses/sheep but, because of complex fiscal reasons, there is a paucity of antivenom in sub-Saharan Africa. To address the plight of thousands of snakebite victims in savannah Nigeria, the EchiTAb Study Group organised the production, testing and delivery of antivenoms designed to treat envenoming by the most medically-important snakes in the region.

Randomised controlled double-blind non-inferiority trial of two antivenoms for saw-scaled or carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) envenoming in Nigeria.

Background: In West Africa, envenoming by saw-scaled or carpet vipers (Echis ocellatus) causes great morbidity and mortality, but there is a crisis in supply of effective and affordable antivenom (ISRCTN01257358).

Methods: In a randomised, double-blind, controlled, non-inferiority trial, "EchiTAb Plus-ICP" (ET-Plus) equine antivenom made by Instituto Clodomiro Picado was compared to "EchiTAb G" (ET-G) ovine antivenom made by MicroPharm, which is the standard of care in Nigeria and was developed from the original EchiTAb-Fab introduced in 1998. Both are caprylic acid purified whole IgG antivenoms.

Antivenomic assessment of the immunological reactivity of EchiTAb-Plus-ICP, an antivenom for the treatment of snakebite envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa.

The immunoreactivity of EchiTAb-Plus-ICP, an antivenom developed for the treatment of snakebite envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa, to venoms of seven Echis and Bitis species, was assessed by "antivenomics." This proteomic approach is based on the ability of an antivenom to immunodeplete homologous or heterologous venom proteins. Our results show an extensive cross-reactivity of this antivenom against all Echis and Bitis venoms studied, as revealed by the complete immunodepletion of the majority of venom components, including metalloproteinases, serine proteinases, C-type lectin-like proteins, some phospholipases A(2) and L-amino acid oxidase.

Preclinical assessment of the efficacy of a new antivenom (EchiTAb-Plus-ICP) for the treatment of viper envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa.

A preclinical assessment was performed on the neutralizing efficacy of a whole IgG polyspecific antivenom (EchiTAb-Plus-ICP), designed for the treatment of snakebite envenomings in Nigeria. It was generated by immunizing horses with the venoms of Echis ocellatus, Bitis arietans and Naja nigricollis, the most medically important species in Nigeria. Antivenom was tested against the venoms of E.