Research Articles

Short report: treatment of snake envenomations by a new polyvalent antivenom composed of highly purified F(ab)2: results of a clinical trial in northern Cameroon

A clinical trial was conducted in 2 health centers in northern Cameroon to assess the safety and efficacy of a new polyvalent antivenom composed of highly purified and pasteurized F(ab')2 (FAV-Africa). Forty-six patients with objective signs of envenomation, including 67% with hemorrhage, were included in the study. Each patient received at least 20 ml of FAV-Africa by direct, slow intravenous injection; 172 10-ml ampules were administered. All patients were clinically cured after treatment. Two patients (4.3%) showed minor immediate adverse events that may have been related to FAV-Africa (induration, light-headedness); no other treatment-related adverse event occurred. No patient had serum sickness. This trial confirms the safety of FAV-Africa administered by intravenous injection and its efficacy in the treatment of snake envenomations in sub-Saharan Africa.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-P. Chippaux, A. Massougbodji, R. P. Stock, A. Alagon, and the Investigators of African Antivipmyn(R) in Beni Clinical Trial of an F(ab')2 Polyvalent Equine Antivenom for African Snake Bites in Benin Am J Trop Med Hyg, September 1, 2007; 77(3): 538 - 546. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]