Cross Neutralization of Some Kinds of Vipers and Snake Venoms From Africa and Middle East Using Vacsera Polyvalent Viper Antisera

Abstract

As the death rate due to snake bites was differ enormously between different countries, the study conducted was an extensive of neutralization of lethality of two species of genus Naja, seven species of genus Vipera, and two species of Macrovipera by using VACSERA equine antisera. The results showed that polyvalent snake venom antisera from VACSERA (which was prepared by injection of horses by Cerrastes cerastes, and Echis carinatus) was highly effective in neutralizing specifically to venom used for immunization and para-specifically to other species including Naja haje, Naja nigricollis, Vipera palastinae, Vipera xanthina, Vipera ammodytes, Echis coloratus, Cerastes vipera and Pseudoechis beside Macrovipera species including Macrovipera lebetina obtuse, Macrovipera lebetina turanica. The present study was established for whether specific or para-specific neutralization exists, its extent and the potency of para-specific versus specific neutralization within and between each genus, leading to wide spread of VACSERA Viper antivenom within the different countries.