Experimental antivenoms from chickens and rabbits and their comparison with commercially available equine antivenom against the venoms of Daboia russelii and Echis carinatus snakes

In the present work, chicken (IgY) and rabbit (IgG) antibodies were generated against the venoms of Daboia russelii and Echis carinatus snakes and efficacy was compared with commercial antivenom. Antivenom antibodies were purified and evaluated by ELISA, SDS-PAGE, Western Blot. All antivenoms neutralized a challenge dose of 3LD(50). Each ml of IgY, IgG and commercial antivenom neutralized 0.3, 0.34, and 0.6 mg of E. carinatus venom and 0.2, 0.22 and 0.57 mg D. russelii venom respectively. The present study suggests the generated antivenoms as effective in neutralizing the venoms injected, implying the scope of IgY antivenoms for further screening and evaluation.