140,000 deaths per year

Toxicologist: Too few remedies against snake venom

An eastern brown snake, which is native to Australia and New Guinea

(Bild: AFP)

Around 140,000 people worldwide die from snake bites every year. However, the market for antidotes is not very lucrative, said German toxicologist Dietrich Mebs. For this reason, there is a lack of drugs that are already available.

"Although they are expensive to produce, the antisera are very specific for their application." Large mammals such as horses, sheep and cattle have to be immunized with increasing doses of snake venom over a period of months. Their blood serum then contains large amounts of antibodies that can neutralize the venom.

As different snake species have different venoms, a separate antiserum has to be produced for almost every species, said German toxicologist Dietrich Mebs at a congress. "Even the venom of a cobra from Africa is not comparable to that of a cobra from India or China."

The Cape cobra is considered the most venomous cobra in Africa. If left untreated, the venom leads to death in around 50 percent of bite cases and even if help is given quickly, irreversible nerve damage often remains.

(Bild: AFP)

Cheap, ineffective products
The market has been in a downward spiral for years. "Cheap, but unfortunately also largely ineffective products from China and India have conquered the market." The production of very effective products, such as the antiserum Fav-Afrique, which was directed against all major snake venoms in sub-Saharan Africa, has been discontinued.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared snakebite envenomations a neglected disease in 2017. More money is now being invested in the research and development of antisera. According to Mebs, there are antisera in South Africa that are suitable for the African market, but they are too expensive for many countries. "It is not only in Africa that people continue to die after being bitten by a venomous snake or suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives - for example, if a hand, arm or leg has to be amputated," said Mebs.

In remote or war-affected regions, snake bites are often not registered.

Toxikologe Dietrich Mebs

Problem underestimated
According to the German, the problem is underestimated. According to official figures, 140,000 people die from snake bites every year. "The actual figures are certainly much higher. In remote or war-affected regions, snake bites are often not registered." It is mainly poorer or marginalized population groups that come into contact with snakes.