Study shows that commercial antivenom for the deadly Russell’s viper may not be as effective for populations in North India
Commercial antivenom for the one of the most poisonous snakes in the world, the Russell’s viper, may not be as effective for populations in North India. The venom itself showed dramatic differences in composition and toxicity based on geographical location, according to researchers at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) at the Indian Institute of Science and collaborators.
The findings of the research team were published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases on March 25. In a press release, IISc stated the team also found that “commercial antivenom treatment for Russell’s viper venom works as marketed for most populations, except the North Indian populations.”
According to researchers, these latest findings are in contrast to a 2021 study on Indian spectacled cobras, which, while showing a similar variation in…