Source: Hindu

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Context

• The current process of producing antivenom is outdated, involving injecting large animals with snake venom and collecting the animals’ blood for the antibodies it produces.
• A group of scientists sidestepped animals and used human antibodies instead, eventually finding the potent 95Mat5.

Details

• Venom from snake bites leads to more than 100,000 deaths every year, with around 400,000 people left permanently disabled.
• The mortality burden is especially higher in low and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia, with India alone at a staggering average of 58,000 deaths in a year according to a 2020 report.
• However, considered a “poor man’s disease”, relatively less attention has been paid to the devastation caused by the bites.
• In some of these countries, snakebite incidence is distressingly high but inadequate access to proper healthcare prevents fast and efficient treatment, leading to disproportionately more deaths.
• Things were set to improve in 2017 when the World Health Organization (WHO) finally stepped in to alert the world about one of its biggest hidden health crises. It officially classified snakebite envenoming as a highest priority neglected tropical disease.

Recent findings

• Scientists bypassed animal involvement and used human antibodies instead to develop a potent antidote.
• Focused on three-finger toxins (3FTxs), abundant in elapid snake venoms like cobras and kraits, which target human nerve and muscle cells.
• Antibody 95Mat5 effectively neutralized toxins from various elapid snakes, including cobras, kraits, black mambas, and monocled cobras.
• Offered full protection against most snake venoms, except for king cobras, where it delayed but did not prevent death.
• Inhibited toxins in black mamba venom, highlighting potential synergistic interactions within venom components.

About Snake Venom

• Snake venom is a complex mixture of proteins, enzymes, peptides, and other bioactive molecules produced by venomous snakes.
• Venom contains various proteins and enzymes such as phospholipases, metalloproteinases, serine proteases, and neurotoxins, each with specific functions.
• Peptides found in venom include cytotoxins, cardiotoxins, and neurotoxins, which target specific physiological systems in prey.
• Venom evolved as a predatory adaptation to immobilize or kill prey and to aid in digestion.

Medical Uses:

• Snake venom is used to produce antivenom, which contains antibodies that neutralize the toxic effects of venom in snakebite victims.
• Components of snake venom have pharmaceutical potential and are being investigated for their therapeutic properties in treating conditions such as hypertension, blood clotting disorders, and cancer.
• Snake venom proteins and peptides serve as valuable tools in biomedical research, providing insights into various physiological processes and serving as models for drug design and development.

About Poisonous Snakes

• Poisonous snakes are reptiles belonging to various families that possess venom glands, enabling them to inject toxic substances into their prey or potential threats.
• Venomous snakes have evolved venom as a defensive mechanism against predators and as a means to immobilize or kill prey.
• Poisonous snakes belong to several families, including Elapidae (e.g., cobras, coral snakes), Viperidae (e.g., vipers, rattlesnakes), and Atractaspididae (e.g., burrowing asps).
• Poisonous snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, with a higher diversity in tropical and subtropical regions.
• Most poisonous snakes inject venom through hollow, retractable fangs located in the front of their mouths, while others may have grooved or fixed fangs.

Types of Venom:

• Neurotoxic Venom: Found in snakes such as cobras and mambas, neurotoxic venom targets the nervous system, causing paralysis and respiratory failure.
• Hemotoxic Venom: Present in vipers and rattlesnakes, hemotoxic venom affects the blood and tissues, leading to tissue damage, internal bleeding, and organ failure.
• Cytotoxic Venom: Found in snakes like the brown recluse spider, cytotoxic venom causes tissue necrosis and cell death at the site of the bite.

About Cobras and Kraits

• Cobras and kraits are venomous snakes belonging to the family Elapidae, which also includes other dangerous snakes like coral snakes and sea snakes.
• Found predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa, cobras and kraits inhabit a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and urban areas.

Physical Appearance:

• Cobras: Characterized by their hooded appearance when threatened, cobras have elongated bodies and can grow up to several meters in length.
• Kraits: Kraits have slender bodies and are typically shorter in length compared to cobras. They often have distinctive black-and-white banding along their bodies

Neurotoxic Venom:

• Both cobras and kraits possess potent neurotoxic venom, which targets the nervous system and can cause paralysis and respiratory failure.
• Cobra venom also contains cytotoxins, which can cause tissue damage and necrosis at the site of the bite.

Behavior:

• Cobras:
  • Cobras are known for their iconic hooding behavior, where they spread their neck ribs to form a hood when feeling threatened.
  • They are primarily terrestrial but are also capable climbers and can inhabit a variety of habitats, including grasslands, forests, and urban areas.
• Kraits:
  • Kraits are nocturnal and are often found hiding in dark, sheltered places during the day, such as under rocks or in burrows.
  • They are known for their potent venom and are considered some of the deadliest snakes in Asia.

Must read articles:

Snakebite, Cobra

Sources:

Hindu

PRACTICE QUESTION Q.  Discuss the role of biotechnology in revolutionizing the production of antibodies for antivenom, highlighting advancements such as utilizing human antibodies over traditional methods involving animal immunization. (150 Words)