Publications by authors named "Quesada-Bernat S"

Lataste's viper (Vipera latastei) is a venomous European viper endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, recognised as medically important by the World Health Organization. To date, no comprehensive characterisation of this species' venom has been reported. Here, we analysed the venoms of juvenile and adult specimens of V.

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Cobras are the most medically important elapid snakes in Africa. The African genera Naja and Hemachatus include snakes with neurotoxic and cytotoxic venoms, with shared biochemical, toxinological and antigenic characteristics. We have studied the antigenic cross-reactivity of four sub-Saharan Africa cobra venoms against an experimental monospecific Hemachatus haemachatus antivenom through comparative proteomics, preclinical assessment of neutralization, and third generation antivenomics.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study characterizes the venoms of two subspecies of the South American palm pit viper, highlighting their proteomic profiles and components that contribute to their toxicity.
  • The venoms contain proteins from 11 classes, with significant portions from snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and bradykinin-potentiating-like peptides, which may explain their severe clinical effects during envenomations.
  • Comparative analysis shows that Brazilian pit vipers share identical venom proteins among themselves but differ from a related Peruvian subspecies, suggesting possible hybridization, though more extensive sampling is needed to confirm this.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluated the effectiveness of two specific antivenoms (Uzbiopharm® and Microgen®) against the venom from the Dagestan blunt-nosed viper using advanced methods like venomics and neutralization assays.
  • Despite having low concentrations of specific antibodies against venom toxins, both antivenoms were able to neutralize key toxic effects in mice, such as lethality and hemorrhaging.
  • The findings highlight the potential for these antivenoms to treat envenomings from Eurasian snakes and emphasize the importance of understanding their specificity for effective use.
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Background: The Brazil's lancehead, , is a poorly studied pit viper distributed in lowlands of the equatorial rainforests of southern Colombia, northeastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, southern and southeastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, and northern Bolivia. Few studies have been reported on toxins isolated from venom of Ecuadorian and Brazilian . The aim of the present study was to elucidate the qualitative and quantitative protein composition of venom from Pará (Brazil), and to carry out a comparative antivenomics assessment of the immunoreactivity of the Brazilian antibothropic pentavalent antivenom [ (SAB) in Portuguese] against the venoms of and reference species, .

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Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) is, together with Naja naja, Bungarus caeruleus and Echis carinatus, a member of the medically important 'Big Four' species responsible for causing a large number of morbidity and mortality cases across the Indian subcontinent. Despite the wide distribution of Russell's viper and the well-documented ubiquity of the phenomenon of geographic variability of intraspecific snake venom composition, Indian polyvalent antivenoms against the "Big Four" venoms are raised against venoms sourced mainly from Chennai in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Biochemical and venomics investigations have consistently revealed notable compositional, functional, and immunological differences among geographic variants of Russell's viper venoms across the Indian subcontinent.

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A comparative venom proteomic analysis of the Brazilian southern coral snake, M. frontalis, the Amazon coral snake M. spixii spixii, and the aquatic coral snake M.

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Micrurus is a monophyletic genus of venomous coral snakes of the family Elapidae. The ~80 recognized species within this genus are endemic to the Americas, and are distributed from southeastern United States to northern Argentina. Although relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature, semi-fossorial habits, and their occurrence in sparsely populated areas, coral snakes possess powerful venoms that target the cholinergic system and, if early treatment is missed, can cause neuromuscular paralysis, respiratory failure, and death by asphyxiation within hours of envenoming.

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While envenoming by the southern African shield-nosed or coral snakes (genus Aspidelaps) has caused fatalities, bites are uncommon. Consequently, this venom is not used in the mixture of snake venoms used to immunise horses for the manufacture of regional SAIMR (South African Institute for Medical Research) polyvalent antivenom. Aspidelaps species are even excluded from the manufacturer's list of venomous snakes that can be treated by this highly effective product.

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The venom proteome of Siamese Russell's viper from Taiwan, alongside complementary in vivo lethality neutralization assay and in vitro third-generation antivenomics assessment of the preclinical efficacy of the homologous antivenom manufactured in Taiwan CDC's Vaccine Center, are here reported. Taiwanese Russell's viper venom proteome comprised 25 distinct gene products, with the heterodimeric PLA₂ viperotoxin-F representing the most abundant toxin (47.5% of total venom proteome).

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Facultative parthenogenesis (FP) is asexual reproduction in plant and animal species that would otherwise reproduce sexually. This process in vertebrates typically results from automictic development (likely terminal fusion) and is phylogenetically widespread. In squamate reptiles and chondrichthyan fishes, FP has been reported to occur in nature and can result in the production of reproductively viable offspring; suggesting that it is of ecological and evolutionary significance.

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Snakebite envenoming represents a major issue in rural areas of tropical and subtropical regions across sub-Saharan Africa, South to Southeast Asia, Latin America and Oceania. Antivenoms constitute the only scientifically validated therapy for snakebite envenomings, provided they are safe, effective, affordable, accessible and administered appropriately. However, the lack of financial incentives in a technology that has remained relatively unchanged for more than a century, has contributed to some manufacturers leaving the market and others downscaling production or increasing the prices, leading to a decline in the availability and accessibility for these life-saving antidotes to millions of rural poor most at risk from snakebites in low income countries.

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Snakebite envenoming has a heavy burden in the public health in sub-Saharan Africa. The viperid species Echis ocellatus (carpet viper or saw-scaled viper) is the medically most important snake in the savannahs of western sub-Saharan Africa. Several antivenoms are being distributed and used in this region for the treatment of envenomings by E.

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