Sandwich-ELISA detection of venom antigens in envenoming by Phoneutria nigriventer spider

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were developed to detect antigen s from Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom. Horse anti-P, nigriventer immun oglobulins were prepared by immunoaffinity chromatography and used to set u p a sandwich-type ELISA. The specificity of the assay was demonstrated by i ts capacity to correctly discriminate between the circulating antigens in m ice that were experimentally inoculated with P. nigriventer venom from thos e in mice inoculated with Lycosa sp. and Loxosceles intermedia spider venom s, Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom and Apis mellifera bee venom. Measurabl e absorbance signals were obtained with 0.8 ng of venom per assay. The ELIS A was used to follow the kinetic distribution of antigens in experimentally envenomed mice and to detect antigens in the sera of patients envenomed by P. nigriventer. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.