Serum IgE against galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose is common in Laotian patients with snakebite envenoming but not the major trigger for early anaphylactic reactions to antivenom.

Snake antivenom is the only specific treatment for snakebite envenoming, but life-threatening anaphylaxis is a severe side effect and drawback for the use of these typically mammalian serum products. The present study investigates the hypotheses whether serum IgE antibodies against the epitope galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (α-gal) located on the heavy chain of non-primate mammalian antibodies are a possible cause for hypersensitivity reactions to snake antivenom. Serum samples from 55 patients with snakebite envenoming were obtained before administration of snake antivenom and tested for serum IgE (sIgE) against α-gal and total IgE.

Prospective, consecutive case series of 158 snakebite patients treated at Savannakhet provincial hospital, Lao People's Democratic Republic with high incidence of anaphylactic shock to horse derived F(ab')2 antivenom.

Snakebites are a seriously neglected public health problem in Lao PDR. Community-based cross-sectional surveys in two districts of Savannakhet province in Southern Laos revealed an incidence of up to 1105 snakebites per 100,000 persons per year. In contrast the number of snakebite patients treated in district and provincial hospitals are low.