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BGF
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by chewwy on June 14, 2003
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Dr BGF, I was curious as why there is no antivenom developed for the Annulated Cobra and do you have any envolment with the development of antivenoms? Last but not least, I own an Annulated Cobra(Water Cobra)and I am very careful, but if I was envenomated would it be curtains for me, since there is no antivenom?
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RE: BGF
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by BGF on June 16, 2003
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Hi mate
The reason there isn't an antivenom made for it is $$$. Antivenoms are expency to make, have a very limited shelf life and a small market. The pharmaceutical co's would rather spend a few hundred million developing a new hemorrhoids medication. Antivenom is the classic 'orphan drug' and really needs to be directly funded by the federal governments.
As for what to use, your only real recourse would be the South African Polyvalent. I would actually be quite suprised if it didn't work since Boulengerina are more closely related to some of the African Naja than those same Naja would be to Asian Naja or even some of the other African Naja (the Naja genus needs to either be split or include Boulengerina and a couple others, it is fragmented currently). So, based upon taxonomical relationship, if the SAVP can neutralise all sorts of Naja, then it has a very good chance of neutralising Boulengerina.
As for my research, no I'm not involved in the actual development of antivenom. All I do is a few experiments to highlight areas that truly suck and then helpfully point that out ;-p
Cheers
BGF
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