Two commentaries in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases highlight that while national initiatives on snakebite are commendable, the path to truly overcoming snakebite is complex and requires careful navigation.
antivenom
Researchers have found that the variability in venom composition of the Russel’s Viper may be tied, in part, to local climate conditions.
Data from a centre treating snakebite victims in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, show that many patients bitten by the saw-scaled viper weren't responding well to the standard Indian polyvalent antivenom.
Differences in the composition of Saw-scaled viper venoms from three regions questions the use of a single antivenom
Incidents of snakebites and resulting deaths are no rarity in India, which accounts for half the world’s deaths due to snakebites. Now, a new study claims that India has witnessed an estimated 1.2 million deaths due to snakebites between 2001-2020.
The Indian krait is undoubtedly the deadliest of all venomous snakes in the country, and possesses the most lethal concoction of poisons. In a study, a multi-institute research team, led by the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, have designed a synthetic antivenom with a nucleic acid aptamer which can diagnose Indian krait bites accurately and effectively.