Jorge A Dolab

Publications of Jorge A Dolab

• Effectiveness of two common antivenoms for North, Central, and South American Micrurus envenomations.

  Authors: Adolfo R de Roodt, Jorge F Paniagua-Solis, Jorge A Dolab, Judith Estévez-Ramiréz, Blanca Ramos-Cerrillo, Silvana Litwin, José C Dokmetjian, Alejandro Alagón

  Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology. 02/2004; 42(2):171-8.

  Micrurus snakes (coral snakes) may produce severe envenomation that can lead to death by peripheral respiratory paralysis. Only few laboratories produce specific antivenoms, and despite theMicrurus snakes (coral snakes) may produce severe envenomation that can lead to death by peripheral respiratory paralysis. Only few laboratories produce specific antivenoms, and despite the cross-reactivity found in some Micrurus species venoms, the treatment is not always effective. To test two therapeutic antivenoms against the venom of four species of Micrurus from Southern America, North of South America, Central America, and North America, the determination of the lethal potency of the venoms, the study of some biochemical and immunochemical characteristics, and the determination of the neutralizing activity of both antivenoms were studied. North American and South American antivenoms neutralized well venoms from Micrurus species of the corresponding hemisphere but displayed lower effectiveness against venoms of species from different hemispheres. It was concluded that the neutralization of Micrurus venoms by regional antivenoms could be useful to treat the envenomation by some Micrurus snakes but is necessary to evaluate carefully the antivenoms to be used with the venoms from the snakes of the region. Also, considering the difficulties for coral snake antivenom production, the development of a polyvalent antivenom is useful to treat the envenomation by coral snakes from different regions is necessary.

• Epidemiological and clinical aspects of scorpionism by Tityus trivittatus in Argentina.

  Authors: Adolfo R de Roodt, Susana I García, Oscar D Salomón, Liliana Segre, Jorge A Dolab, Raúl F Funes, Ernesto H de Titto

  Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology. 07/2003; 41(8):971-7.

  This is a descriptive study of epidemiological and clinical aspects of stings caused by the scorpion Tityus trivittatus in Argentina. We analyzed 511 cases recorded from different health centers inThis is a descriptive study of epidemiological and clinical aspects of stings caused by the scorpion Tityus trivittatus in Argentina. We analyzed 511 cases recorded from different health centers in 22 provinces. Most accidents took place during the period November-April (76%), in or nearby houses (86%). Over 50% of the accidents involved children and teenagers. Envenomation by T. trivittatus was mainly characterized by local symptoms: pain (85%), edema (26.6%), burning sensation (24.7%), erythema (20.7%), local hyperthermia (13.1%), paresthesia (9.8%) and general manifestations such as vomiting (25%), paleness (18.8%), headache (11.4%) and sweating (8.2%). Neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders were uncommon. Almost 90% of the injured people got treated with specific antivenom within 2 h, 6% were treated 2-h after the accident and only 2 people were treated 12 or more hours after being stung. The global mortality recorded was 6 per 1000 cases. Scorpionism in Argentina is a public health problem under control due to the relatively low incidence and the accessibility of specific antivenom.

  Download

• Cross-reactivity and heterologous neutralization of crotaline antivenoms used in Argentina

  Authors: Adolfo R. de Roodt, Jorge A. Dolab, Teresa Fernández, Liliana Segre, Silvia E. Hajos

  Toxicon.

  The immunochemical cross-reactivity and neutralizing capacity of four crotalinae antivenoms consisting in equine F(ab′)2 fragments and available in Argentina (bothropic Bivalent, against BothropsThe immunochemical cross-reactivity and neutralizing capacity of four crotalinae antivenoms consisting in equine F(ab′)2 fragments and available in Argentina (bothropic Bivalent, against Bothrops alternatus and B. neuwiedii venoms; bothropic Tetravalent, against B. alternatus, B. neuwiedii; B. jararaca and B. jararacussu venoms; bothropic–crotalic Trivalent, against B. alternatus, B. neuwiedii and Crotalus (C.) durissus terrificus venoms and anticrotalic against C. d. terrificus venom) were studied against B. alternatus, B. ammodytoides; B. jararaca; B. jararacussu; B. moojeni; B. neuwiedii and C. d. terrificus venoms. SDS-PAGE analysis of the Bothrops venoms showed protein bands of high (>40 kDa) medium (20–40 kDa) and low (<15 kDa) molecular weights, while that of C. d. terrificus exhibited a large amount of material with molecular weight of 15.0 kDa or lower. Immunoblotting showed a high cross-reactivity of all the major protein bands with all the antivenoms (even heterologous) tested. All the antivenoms were effective in neutralizing the lethal activity of the venoms tested, and in some cases (B. jararaca and B. jararacussu) heterologous antivenoms exhibited similar neutralizing capacity than the homologous ones. In spite of the differences in biochemical composition and pharmacology, Bothropic antivenoms displayed a significant neutralizing capacity on lethal activity of C. d. terrificus venom. In addition, all the antivenoms (including the anticrotalic) were highly effective in neutralizing the hemorragic, necrotizing, procoagulant, and proteolytic activities. The antivenoms tested produced different degrees of inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity, which exhibited a certain specificity but was also related to the enzyme content in the venom.

• [Toxicity of venoms from snakes of medical importance in México]

  Authors: Adolfo R de Roodt, Judith Estévez-Ramírez, Jorge F Paniagua Solís, Silvana Litwin, Alejandro Carvajal-Saucedo, Jorge A Dolab, Luis E Robles Ortiz, Alejandro Alagón

  Gaceta médica de México. 141(1):13-21.

  The characterization of the toxic activities of snake venoms is necessary to understand the physiopathology of the envenomation and to test the potency of the antivenoms used to treat this pathology.The characterization of the toxic activities of snake venoms is necessary to understand the physiopathology of the envenomation and to test the potency of the antivenoms used to treat this pathology. Because of the lack of data on the toxic activities of venoms from Mexican snakes of medical importance, we studied the venoms from Bothrops asper, Athropoides nummifrr, Agkistrodon billineatus, Crotalus durissus durissus, Crotalus basiliscus, Crotalus scutulatus, Crotalus atrox and Micrurus nigrocinctus. The studies performed were: SDS-PAOE, determination of lethal potency, hemorrhagic, necrotizing, coagulation on plasma and fibrinogen, phospholipasic and fibri(noge)nolytic activities. In addition we studied the neutralizing capacity of the toxic activities of an antivenom currently used for the treatment of snakebites in Mexico. The venom from viperids showed important hemorrhagic, necrotizing, coagulative on plasma, prothrombinic, fibrinogenolytic and phospholipase activities. The venoms with the highest lethal potency were those of Micrurus nigrocinctus and Crotalus scutulatus; however, the viperine venom that globally displayed the most potent toxic activities was from Bothrops asper. All the venoms showed toxic activities of similar range to those described for other American venomous snakes. The activity on plasma or fibrinogen varied widely among the different venoms but all displayed capacity to act on the coagulation system. The antivenom tested not only neutralized the lethality B. asper venom but also its other toxic activities.