Every year, millions of people suffer snake bites, with about half of those involving venomous snakes, leading to many thousands of deaths. Even if the victim survives, they can be permanently disabled. The greatest weapons we have against a venomous snake bite are antivenoms (or antivenins), which are fragile, expensive, often dangerous, and must be formulated for the particular species of snake. But what if we could make one antivenom that would work for all venomous snake bites?
Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have identified a human antibody among billions that is effective in mice against venom from black mambas, cobras, kraits, coral snakes, and king cobras. The antibody, labeled S2G7, binds to a common part of snake venom that attacks the victim's nerves. This is preliminary research, but could lead to a cheaper and more stable antivenom that could be administered without knowing exactly what kind of snake bit the victim. Read up on the details of this breakthrough at Nature World News. -via Damn Interesting
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