A COMPARISON OF OVINE AND EQUINE ANTIVENOMS

Commercial antivenoms produced in horses were compared with monospecif ic antivenoms raised in sheep against Crotalus durissus terrificus, Cr otalus atrox, Crotalus adamanteus, Micrurus fulvius fulvius, Naja naja , Naja kaouthia, Echis ocellatus, Vipera lebetina deserti, Vipera beru s berus and Vipera ammodytes ammodytes venom. Antibodies raised by imm unizing sheep with C. d. terrificus venom were more effective than the ir equine counterparts in preventing lethal toxicity in mice (ED(50)), in inhibiting the venom's pharmacological effects (haemolysis, platel et aggregation and coagulation), and in neutralizing phospholipase A(2 ) activity. Comparison of one ovine and three equine F(ab)(2) products raised against V. a. ammodytes venom showed that all were at least 95 % pure; that all protected mice; and that all contained antibody popul ations directed against most components of V. a. ammodytes and V. b. b erus venoms. The ovine antivenoms generally contained a higher concent ration of specific antibodies than the equine products. Finally, the o vine antivenoms raised against E. ocellatus, V. lebetina deserti, V. b . berus, M. f. fulvius and N. naja venoms provided better in vivo prot ection to mice than the equine antivenoms, but the equine antivenoms t o N. kaouthia and C. atrox were more protective than the ovine product .