Toxicon: X最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of the Artemia salina toxicity assay as a substitute of the mouse lethality assay in the determination of venom-induced toxicity and preclinical efficacy of antivenom","authors":"Xavier Araya ,&nbsp;Mitchel Okumu ,&nbsp;Gina Durán ,&nbsp;Aarón Gómez ,&nbsp;José María Gutiérrez ,&nbsp;Guillermo León","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100195","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mice are routinely used in snake venom research but are costly and subject to pain and suffering. The crustacean <em>Artemia salina</em> could be an alternative to mice, but data to support its adoption in snake venom research is limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of <em>A. salina</em> as a surrogate of mice in assessing the toxicity of venoms and the preclinical efficacy of antivenoms. The toxicity of venoms from 22 snakes of medical importance in sub–Saharan Africa was evaluated in mice (intraperitoneally; i.p. and intravenously; i.v.) and in <em>A. salina</em>. Subsequently, the capacity of a commercial antivenom to neutralize the toxicity of these venoms in mice and <em>A. salina</em> was investigated. There was a positive correlation between the i.v. median lethal doses (LD_50s) and the i.p. LD_50s in mice (r = 0.804; p &lt; 0.0001)<em>,</em> a moderate correlation between the i.v. LD_50s in mice and the median lethal concentrations (LC_50s) in <em>A. salina</em> (r = 0.606; p = 0.003)<em>,</em> and a moderate correlation between the i.p. LD_50s in mice and the LC_50s in <em>A. salina (</em>r = 0.426; p = 0.048). Moreover, there was a strong correlation between the i.p. median effective doses (ED_50s) and the i.v. ED_50s in mice (r = 0.941, p &lt; 0.0001)<em>,</em> between the i.p. ED_50s in mice and the ED_50s in <em>A. salina</em> (r = 0.818, p &lt; 0.0001)<em>,</em> and between the i.v. ED_50s in mice and the ED_50s in <em>A. salina</em> (r = 0.972, p &lt; 0.0001). These findings present <em>A. salina</em> as a promising candidate for reducing reliance on mice in snake venom research. Future investigations should build upon these findings, addressing potential limitations and expanding the scope of <em>A. salina</em> in venom research and antivenom development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100195"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171024000122/pdfft?md5=aa23aafcc27eb0fb3fdb905f3edcbc73&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171024000122-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140535666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biochemical and biological characterization of the venoms of Naja kaouthia and Naja mandalayensis from Myanmar and neutralization effects of BPI cobra antivenom","authors":"Mya Nila Win ,&nbsp;Khin Than Yee ,&nbsp;Kyae Mhon Htwe ,&nbsp;Ei Ei Thin ,&nbsp;Su Mon Win ,&nbsp;Aung Myat Kyaw ,&nbsp;Myo Myo Aye ,&nbsp;Kyaw Kyaw Khaing ,&nbsp;Wai Myat Thwe ,&nbsp;Khin Khin Htwe ,&nbsp;Aung Zaw","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100196","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Snakebite is a neglected public health issue, with many scientific and medical issues to be solved. Cobras are among the most common venomous snakes in Myanmar and are responsible for a considerable number of severe snakebite envenoming. There are three species of cobra (<em>Naja kaouthia</em>, <em>Naja mandalayensis</em> and <em>Ophiophagus hannah</em>) in Myanmar. The study aims to characterize the <em>N. kaouthia</em> and <em>N. mandalayensis</em> venoms and to investigate the efficacy of anti-cobra antivenom (BPI) against the two venoms. Protein components and fibrinogenolytic activity were determined by SDS-PAGE. Enzymatic activities for PLA₂, protease and acetylcholinesterase were determined by spectrophotometric method. Anticoagulant activity was determined by recalcification time of citrated human plasma. Myotoxicity, necrotizing activity, median lethal dose (LD₅₀) and median effective dose (ED₅₀) were determined by WHO recommended methods. The SDS-PAGE displayed the proteins and enzymes containing in two venoms were different. <em>N. kaouthia</em> venom exhibited more in PLA₂, acetylcholinesterase, anticoagulant, fibrinogenolytic and necrotizing activities than <em>N. mandalayensis</em> venom. <em>N.</em> mandalayensis venom had more protease activity and myotoxicity than <em>N. kaouthia</em> venom. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of <em>N. kaouthia</em> and <em>N. mandalayensis</em> venom was 4.33 μg/mouse and 5.04 μg/mouse respectively. Both venoms induced fibrinogen Aα chain degradation in 30 min (<em>N. kaouthia</em>) and in 6 h (<em>N. mandalayensis</em>). The same median effective dose (ED₅₀) (19.56 μg/mouse) showed that anti-NK antivenom can neutralize against lethal effect of <em>N. mandalayensis</em> venom. It can also neutralize the protease activity, anticoagulant activity and fibrinogenolytic activity of both venoms. Immunodiffusion and immunoblotting studies showed that the antivenom recognized its homologous venom (<em>N. kaouthia</em>) and cross-reacted against the heterologous venom (<em>N. mandalayensis</em>). The anti-NK antivenom is suitable to use for <em>N. mandalayensis</em> bite if monospecific antivenom is not available.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171024000134/pdfft?md5=08cd8669236fb49e2fffc8ed64512fd9&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171024000134-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140558811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a membrane-disruption assay using phospholipid vesicles as a proxy for the detection of cellular membrane degradation","authors":"Mátyás A. Bittenbinder ,&nbsp;Eric Wachtel ,&nbsp;Daniel Da Costa Pereira ,&nbsp;Julien Slagboom ,&nbsp;Nicholas R. Casewell ,&nbsp;Paul Jennings ,&nbsp;Jeroen Kool ,&nbsp;Freek J. Vonk","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100197","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Snakebite envenoming is a global health issue that affects millions of people worldwide, and that causes morbidity rates surpassing 450,000 individuals annually. Patients suffering from snakebite morbidities may experience permanent disabilities such as pain, blindness and amputations. The (local) tissue damage that causes these life-long morbidities is the result of cell- and tissue-damaging toxins present in the venoms. These compounds belong to a variety of toxin classes and may affect cells in various ways, for example, by affecting the cell membrane. In this study, we have developed a high-throughput <em>in vitro</em> assay that can be used to study membrane disruption caused by snake venoms using phospholipid vesicles from egg yolk as a substrate. Resuspended chicken egg yolk was used to form these vesicles, which were fluorescently stained to allow monitoring of the degradation of egg yolk vesicles on a plate reader. The assay proved to be suitable for studying phospholipid vesicle degradation of crude venoms and was also tested for its applicability for neutralisation studies of varespladib, which is a PLA₂ inhibitor. We additionally made an effort to identify the responsible toxins using liquid chromatography, followed by post-column bioassaying and protein identification using high-throughput venomics. We successfully identified various toxins in the venoms of <em>C. rhodostoma</em> and <em>N. mossambica,</em> which are likely to be involved in the observed vesicle-degrading effect. This indicates that the assay can be used for screening the membrane degrading activity of both crude and fractionated venoms as well as for neutralisation studies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100197"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171024000146/pdfft?md5=f3c6b065aae885ef6b6ad2c21df4387c&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171024000146-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140546317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cytokines and their regulators in rat lung following scorpion envenomation","authors":"Valery Gunas ,&nbsp;Oleksandr Maievskyi ,&nbsp;Tatyana Synelnyk ,&nbsp;Nataliia Raksha ,&nbsp;Tetiana Vovk ,&nbsp;Tetiana Halenova ,&nbsp;Olexiy Savchuk ,&nbsp;Igor Gunas","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Nowadays, more than two billion inhabitants of underdeveloped tropical and subtropical countries are at risk of being stung by scorpions. Scorpion stings annually cause 2000–3000 deaths as they can lead to the respiratory and/or cardiovascular complications. Pathogenesis of lung damage under scorpion envenomation is often comprehensive. Respiratory failure can have a cardiogenic origin, associated with venom neurotoxin action. However, some venom components can stimulate pro-inflammatory signaling cascades followed by cytokines synthesis, recruit and activate immune cells, participating in the inflammatory response in lung injury. Scorpions of the <em>Leiurus</em> genus (\"deathstalker\") are one of the most dangerous <em>Arthropoda</em>. To date, 22 species of this genus have been described, but the venom composition and the mechanisms of tissues damage under envenomation have been studied to some extent only for <em>L. quinquestriatus</em>, <em>L. hebraeus</em>, and <em>L. abdullahbayrami</em>. Scorpions of L. <em>macroctenus</em> species are expected to be very hazardous, but the possibility of their venom cause inflammation in the lung tissue has not been investigated to date. Therefore, in this study, we focused on evaluating the levels of cytokines and their regulators – transcription factors (HIF-1α and NF-κB) and growth factors (FGF-2, VEGF, and EGF) – in rat lung homogenates after <em>L. macroctenus</em> envenomation. The results revealed a decrease in the levels of most pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α) with simultaneous rise in the content of both anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) and interferon-γ. Furthermore, the levels of all researched transcription factors and growth factors were shown to be increased too. The detected changes peak occurred at 24 h, whereas a tendency towards all indicators values normalization was observed in 72 h after venom injection. Thus, our results did not reveal signs of a classic inflammatory process in the lungs of rats injected with <em>L. macroctenus</em> venom. However, the obtained data indicate venom influence both on cytokine profile and on their regulators content in the rat lungs, which is a feature of certain alterations in the innate immune response, caused by studied venom components. But, the mechanisms of the changes we found require additional researches.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100198"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171024000158/pdfft?md5=8ddc657f0aa88232fe56ede6c867b4d7&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171024000158-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140540487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intrageneric cross-reactivity of monospecific rabbit antisera against venoms of mamba (Elapidae: Dendroaspis spp.) snakes","authors":"Aarón Gómez,&nbsp;Andrés Sánchez,&nbsp;Gina Durán,&nbsp;Mauren Villalta,&nbsp;Álvaro Segura,&nbsp;Mariángela Vargas,&nbsp;María Herrera,&nbsp;Melvin Sánchez,&nbsp;José María Gutiérrez,&nbsp;Guillermo León","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100183","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Snakebite envenomation is a neglected tropical disease posing a high toll of mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. Polyspecific antivenoms of broad effectiveness and specially designed for this region require a detailed understanding of the immunological features of the mamba snake (<em>Dendroaspis</em> spp.) venoms for the selection of the most appropriate antigen combination to produce antivenoms of wide neutralizing scope. Monospecific antisera were generated in rabbits against the venoms of the four species of mambas. The toxic effects of the immunization scheme in the animals were evaluated, antibody titers were estimated using immunochemical assays, and neutralization of lethal activity was assessed. By the end of the immunization schedule, rabbits showed normal values of the majority of hematological parameters tested. No muscle tissue damage was noticed, and no alterations in most serum chemical parameters were observed. Immunological analyses revealed a variable extent of cross-reactivity of the monospecific antisera against the heterologous venoms. The venoms of <em>D. jamesoni</em> and <em>D. viridis</em> generated the antisera with broader cross-reactivity by immunochemical parameters. The venoms of <em>D. polylepis</em> and <em>D. viridis</em> generated the antisera with better cross-neutralization of lethality, although the neutralizing ability of all antisera was lower than 0.16 mg venom/mL antiserum against either homologous or heterologous venoms. These experimental results must be scaled to large animal models used in antivenom manufacture at industrial level to assess whether these predictions are reproducible.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100183"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171023000358/pdfft?md5=48c19a83c02fe7e56566189241acd1e4&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171023000358-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139108887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High throughput identification of human monoclonal antibodies and heavy-chain-only antibodies to treat snakebite","authors":"Julien Slagboom ,&nbsp;Abigail H. Lewis ,&nbsp;Wietse M. Schouten ,&nbsp;Rien van Haperen ,&nbsp;Mieke Veltman ,&nbsp;Mátyás A. Bittenbinder ,&nbsp;Freek J. Vonk ,&nbsp;Nicholas R. Casewell ,&nbsp;Frank Grosveld ,&nbsp;Dubravka Drabek ,&nbsp;Jeroen Kool","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Snakebite envenoming is a priority Neglected Tropical Disease that causes an estimated 81,000–135,000 fatalities each year. The development of a new generation of safer, affordable, and accessible antivenom therapies is urgently needed. With this goal in mind, rigorous characterisation of the specific toxins in snake venom is key to generating novel therapies for snakebite. Monoclonal antibodies directed against venom toxins are emerging as potentially strong candidates in the development of new snakebite diagnostics and treatment. Venoms comprise many different toxins of which several are responsible for their pathological effects. Due to the large variability of venoms within and between species, formulations of combinations of human antibodies are proposed as the next generation antivenoms. Here a high-throughput screening method employing antibody-based ligand fishing of venom toxins in 384 filter-well plate format has been developed to determine the antibody target/s The approach uses Protein G beads for antibody capture followed by exposure to a full venom or purified toxins to bind their respective ligand toxin(s). This is followed by a washing/centrifugation step to remove non-binding toxins and an in-well tryptic digest. Finally, peptides from each well are analysed by nanoLC-MS/MS and subsequent Mascot database searching to identify the bound toxin/s for each antibody under investigation. The approach was successfully validated to rapidly screen antibodies sourced from hybridomas, derived from venom-immunised mice expressing either regular human antibodies or heavy-chain-only human antibodies (HCAbs).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100185"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259017102400002X/pdfft?md5=423c72530030c48d98623b5513704b96&pid=1-s2.0-S259017102400002X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139936818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A plethora of rodents: Rattlesnake predators generate unanticipated patterns of venom resistance in a grassland ecosystem","authors":"Neil R. Balchan ,&nbsp;Cara F. Smith ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Mackessy","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100179","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100179","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Predation has the potential to impart strong selective pressures on organisms within their environments, resulting in adaptive changes in prey that minimize risk of predation. Pressures from venomous snakes present an exceptional challenge to prey, as venom represents a unique chemical arsenal evolutionarily tailored to incapacitate prey. In response, venom resistance has been detected in various snake prey species, and to varying degrees. This study analyzes venom resistance in an eastern Colorado grassland habitat, where the Prairie Rattlesnake (<em>Crotalus viridis</em>) and Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (<em>Sistrurus tergeminus edwardsii</em>) co-occur with a suite of grassland rodents. We test for venom resistance across rodent and snake pairings using two geographically distant field sites to determine the role of 1) predation pressure and trophic ecology, and 2) sympatric and allopatric patterns of venom resistance. Resistance was measured using serum-based metalloproteinase inhibition assays to determine potential inhibition of proteolytic activity, augmented by median lethal dose (LD₅₀) assays on rodent species to assess toxicity of crude venoms. Resistance is present in several rodent species, with strong resistance present in populations of Eastern Woodrat (<em>Neotoma floridana</em>), Ord's Kangaroo Rat (<em>Dipodomys ordii</em>), and Northern Grasshopper Mouse (<em>Onychomys leucogaster</em>). Resistance is less developed in other species, including the House Mouse (<em>Mus musculus</em>) and Plains Pocket Mouse (<em>Perognathus flavescens</em>). An unexpected differential is present, where Lincoln County Kangaroo Rats are highly resistant to venom of co-occurring Prairie Rattlesnakes yet are sensitive to an allopatric population of Prairie Rattlesnakes in Weld County. Lincoln Co. Northern Grasshopper Mice also demonstrate extremely elevated resistance to Weld Co. Prairie Rattlesnake venoms, and they may possess resistance mechanisms for myotoxin a, an abundant component of Weld Co. <em>C. v viridis</em> venoms. This study illustrates the complexity of venom resistance in biological communities that can exist when incorporating multiple species interactions. Future studies aimed at characterizing resistance mechanisms at the molecular level will provide a more detailed physiological context for understanding mechanisms by which resistance to venoms occurs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100179"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171023000310/pdfft?md5=12a7fb810b26ed79386c802f246b66f8&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171023000310-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138483871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytotoxicity effect of a highly toxic isolate of Alternaria alternata metabolites from Iran","authors":"Atefeh Sedighi,&nbsp;Abbas Mohammadi","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Alternaria</em> species produce several mycotoxins, such as alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), altenuene (ALT), altertoxin (ATX), tentoxin (TTX) and tenuazonic acid (TeA). This research aimed to isolate and identify mycotoxins from highly toxic <em>Alternaria alternata</em> (w19) and <em>A</em>. <em>tennuisima</em> isolates and their phytotoxicity effects. Fungal metabolites were extracted from 21-day cultures of <em>Alternaria</em> in a Czapek broth medium with the organic solvent chloroform/acetone and identified using the HPLC method. <em>Alternaria</em> metabolites were infiltrated <em>in vivo</em> into several plant leaves for phytotoxicity detection. The study investigated the impact of temperature, time, and metabolite concentration on phytotoxicity using the detached leaf infiltration technique. Five mycotoxins (TTX, TeA, ALT, AOH, and AME) were detected in <em>A. alternata</em> W19 isolate with 959.24, 102.03, 24.01, 9.04, and 2.44 ppm, respectively. <em>A. tennuisima</em> produce these toxins in a lower concentration. Infiltration of fungal metabolites induced leaf chlorosis and necrosis, which differs based on temperature, concentration and plant species. Based on our knowledge, this is the first report of <em>Alternaria</em> mycotoxins in Iran and a highly toxic isolate of <em>A. alternata</em> with rapid phytotoxicity on a wide range of susceptible hosts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100186"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171024000031/pdfft?md5=53ea310677808485ce94516569a05a41&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171024000031-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139883425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographic variation in the clinical features of Mohave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) envenomations reported to the North American Snakebite Registry","authors":"Spencer Greene ,&nbsp;Matthew Gilbert ,&nbsp;Brian Wolk ,&nbsp;Sharan Campleman ,&nbsp;Anne-Michelle Ruha ,&nbsp;on behalf of the ToxIC Snakebite Study Group","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The geographic variation of Mohave rattlesnake (<em>Crotalus scutulatus</em>) venom is well established. We reviewed all the Mohave rattlesnake bites reported to the Toxicology Investigators Consortium's North American Snakebite Registry between January 1, 2015 and 12/31/2021. Data reviewed for this study included details regarding the snake encounter, patient demographics, signs and symptoms, treatment, and outcomes. Our objective was to describe the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and management of Mohave rattlesnake envenomations using prospective data from two geographically distinct sites. There were 20 subjects, including eight nonpregnant females. Ages ranged from seven to 75 years, median age 48. Nine of the bites were managed in Arizona and 11 in California. In Arizona, all envenomated patients had local swelling. None had neurological toxicity. In California, swelling was present in nine patients. Neurological effects were observed in five subjects. Four Arizona patients and one California patient had hypotension requiring treatment. Each site had one patient with thrombocytopenia. An Arizona patient who sustained a bite to the face was intubated. Rhabdomyolysis occurred in two California patients. All envenomated patients received antivenom. Mohave rattlesnakes have the potential to cause significant local and/or systemic toxicity. Neurotoxicity was not observed in envenomations from Mohave rattlesnakes that presumably lack Mohave toxin, but hypotension and gastrointestinal signs were more common than in bites from snakes believed to possess Mohave toxin. Neurological toxicity was limited to paresthesias and fasciculations. Significant skeletal or respiratory muscle weakness was not observed in our study population.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100171"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171023000231/pdfft?md5=a8133692af30c022c247dd874ae3f932&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171023000231-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135614451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical and temporal distribution of Megalopygidae in the United States and Puerto Rico","authors":"Emilio Peruzzi Sancio ,&nbsp;Chris Alice Kratzer ,&nbsp;John C. Carlson","doi":"10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100181","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The venom of Megalopygidae caterpillars causes inflammation and pain. Understanding geographic and temporal variation in exposure will help physicians and the public understand when and where the species in this family may be encountered.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Photographs uploaded by community scientists to the iNaturalist database were reviewed and identified. GIS data points were used to model distribution of species based on geographic variables at the location of photographs for each group. Data on temporal abundance was also noted.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Maps were created predicting the geographic range for 11 species of Megalopygidae. Peak larval abundance for the most abundant species, <em>Megalopyge opercularis</em>, was determined as September in the southeastern United States and October in south-central US.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Geographic and temporal distributions, based on community science observations, allow for more accurate predictions on the likelihood of encountering venomous Megalopygidae caterpillars.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37124,"journal":{"name":"Toxicon: X","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100181"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171023000334/pdfft?md5=d44c65c2bbf9e0b44af729b0bd5bb1fe&pid=1-s2.0-S2590171023000334-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139108886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}