This Man Survived Hundreds of Deadly Snakebites. His Blood Holds the Key to a Potent New Antivenom.
1 min read
Summary
A snake enthusiast injected himself with increasing doses of venom from 16 deadly snake species over 18 years, and ended up with antibodies in his blood that could neutralise the effects of the toxins.
Now, scientists have used his blood to create a cocktail of anti-venom that could provide protection against a range of snake venom.
The treatment was tested in mice and totally prevented the effects of 13 different types of deadly snake venom.
Although the treatment is not yet ready for use in humans, the team is now working to test it in larger animals, make the treatment more portable and affordable and begin to run clinical trials.
This approach could provide an alternative to traditional antivenoms, which are created by injecting horses with small amounts of venom, and can provoke allergic reactions in humans.
