Antivenoms | Snakebites in India

Antivenoms | Snakebites in India

Why are antivenoms not easily accessible in India? | Article in The Hindu

  • Snakebite envenoming: Life-threatening condition from venomous snake bite, can lead to death or permanent impairment if not treated timely.
  • Snake Venom: Contains toxins that immobilize the human body by releasing:
    • Haemotoxins: Destroy blood cells, disrupt clotting.
    • Neurotoxins: Block nerve signals, paralyze.
    • Cytotoxins: Dissolve tissue at the bite site.
  • WHO Guidelines:
    • Issued guidelines for effective management of snakebite cases.
  • Effective Treatment: Safe and effective antivenoms are crucial for treating snakebite envenoming.
  • Antivenoms: Listed in the WHO List of essential medicines; should be included in primary health care packages in areas prone to snake bites.
  • India: Home to over 300 snake species; more than 60 are venomous (from mild to high).
  • Snakebite Capital: India records over 58,000 snakebite-related deaths annually.
  • Central Bureau of Health Investigation (CBHI) Reports (2016-2020):
    • Average annual snakebite cases: around 3 lakhs
    • Annual deaths due to snakebite envenoming: about 2000
  • 2020 Study (2001-2014):
    • Estimated 1.2 million snakebite deaths (3 times as many cases of permanent disability)
    • One in 250 Indians at risk of dying from snakebite before age 70.
  • Antivenoms: Life-saving medicines for treating snakebites.
  • India: Largest producer and consumer of antivenoms globally.
  • Function: Antivenoms bind to venom toxins, rendering them ineffective, allowing the body to clear them safely.
  • Production Process:
    • First Antivenom: Produced by French physician Albert Calmette in the 1890s using horses.
    • Method: Small amounts of snake venom are injected into horses, which produce antibodies.
    • Antibodies are extracted from horse’s blood, purified, and formulated as antivenoms.
  • Irula Tribe: Experts in milking snakes and collecting venom in Tamil Nadu, supplied to Pharma companies for antivenom production.
  • Companies in India: Bharat Serums and Vaccines, Haffkine Bio-pharmaceutical Corporation, ViNS Bioproducts.
  • Current Status in India:
    • Polyvalent Antivenoms (PVAs): Target the Big Four snakes, accounting for most snakebite deaths.
    • Big Four: Venom from Indian cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), and saw-scaled viper (genus Echis).
  • Accessibility: Long journeys to healthcare facilities in remote areas.
  • Ineffectiveness: Polyvalent antivenoms (PVAs) don’t work on some venoms.
  • Logistics: Need for cold storage; rural areas lack infrastructure.
  • Treatment Delay: Superstitions, cultural practices, and traditional medicine.
  • Facilities: Poor handling degrades antivenoms in storage.
  • Cost: High manufacturing costs limit access for the economically disadvantaged.
  • Synthetic Antivenoms: Using recombinant DNA technology to produce lab-engineered antivenoms. These are free from animal-derived proteins and offer greater safety and efficacy.
  • Tailored Antivenoms: By mapping toxins’ compositions, scientists aim to create tailored antivenoms for more precise treatments.

Source: TH


Previous Year Question

Consider the following statements:
1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[UPSC CSE – 2017 Prelims]

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c)


Practice Question

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding antivenoms in India?

  1. India is the largest producer and consumer of antivenoms globally.
  2. Polyvalent antivenoms (PVAs) in India are effective against the venom of all snake species.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

 
 
 
 

Question 1 of 1

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