Humoral immune responses to venom and antivenom of patients bitten by Bothrops snakes

Abstract Snake envenomation and its treatment cause the entry of two kind of foreign antigens into the human body: snake toxins and antivenom from animal origin. Samples of patients bitten by snakes in Uruguay were assayed to determine levels of human antibodies against venom and antivenom. The ELISA results showed that most of the patients presented an important increase of IgG and IgM antibodies against antivenom at day 15 post accident. Antibodies were reactive against both equine immunoglobulin chains by western blot assay. In the case of the response against the venom, increase in titre at day 15 was of a minor degree as compared with the antivenom by ELISA. Only one of the patients showed an important increase of IgG and IgM levels against Bothropoides pubescens and only of IgG level against Rhinocerophis alternatus. This patient also showed an extensive reactivity against B. pubescens by western blot.