New Antivenom Can Treat 18 Kinds of Snakebites
The experimental serum saved mice from Asian and African snakes and could help out at a time when antivenom stockpiles are dwindling.
Snakebites kill up to 94,000 people worldwide every year, with the highest number of deaths in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The main obstacle to saving lives is the global availability of antivenom. Until fairly recently, the gold standard has been a targeted antivenom that works against a specific species of snake. But that means doctors must know exactly which snake out of around 600 possible species did the deed, and that makes individual antivenoms costly to stock.
In Africa, the most effective treatment has been a multipurpose antivenom that works against a variety of vipers and cobras found on the continent. But according to current reports, stockpiles of this antivenom are expected to run out in June 2016. The
