Crosstalk of Inflammation and Coagulation in Bothrops Snakebite Envenoming: Endogenous Signaling Pathways and Pathophysiology.

Snakebite envenoming represents a major health problem in tropical and subtropical countries. Considering the elevated number of accidents and high morbidity and mortality rates, the World Health Organization reclassified this disease to category A of neglected diseases. In Latin America, Bothrops genus snakes are mainly responsible for snakebites in humans, whose pathophysiology is characterized by local and systemic inflammatory and degradative processes, triggering prothrombotic and hemorrhagic events, which lead to various complications, organ damage, tissue loss, amputations, and death. The activation of the multicellular blood system, hemostatic alterations, and activation of the inflammatory response are all well-documented in Bothrops envenomings. However, the interface between inflammation and coagulation is still a neglected issue in the toxinology field. Thromboinflammatory pathways can play a significant role in some of the major complications of snakebite envenoming, such as stroke, venous thromboembolism, and acute kidney injury. In addition to exacerbating inflammation and cell interactions that trigger vaso-occlusion, ischemia-reperfusion processes, and, eventually, organic damage and necrosis. In this review, we discuss the role of inflammatory pathways in modulating coagulation and inducing platelet and leukocyte activation, as well as the inflammatory production mediators and induction of innate immune responses, among other mechanisms that are altered by Bothrops venoms.

Biological characterization of the Bothrops brazili snake venom and its neutralization by Brazilian Bothrops antivenom produced by the Butantan Institute.

We evaluated the ability of the Bothrops antivenom produced by the Butantan Institute to neutralize the lethal, hemorrhagic, myotoxic and phospholipase A2 activities induced by B. brazili venom from Rondônia state, Brazil, and verified its cross-reactivity against this venom. This antivenom neutralized the cited biological activities. It also showed cross-reactivity with this venom, and preferentially recognized components with a relative mass above 66 kDa. Our results suggest that Brazilian Bothrops antivenom can be used in B. brazili envenomation in this region.

Use of freeze-dried trivalent antivenom to neutralize the toxic activities of Bothrops atrox snake venoms from the Amazon.

In Brazil, antivenom for snakebite is currently formulated in liquid form and requires storage at 4 °C. Here, a new freeze-dried trivalent antivenom, which would enable cold-chain free storage, was determined to have efficacy in neutralizing the biological activities of Bothrops atrox venoms from Manaus (Brazil) and Leticia (Colombia), exhibiting an efficacy similar to those of currently available liquid Bothrops antivenoms. These results indicate that freeze-dried trivalent antivenom may be beneficial for applications in the Brazilian and Colombian Amazon regions.

Neutralization of hemostatic disorders induced by Lachesis muta venom using Brazilian antivenoms.

We characterized the hemorrhagic, coagulant and defibrinogenant activities of Lachesis muta venom and evaluated the capacity of the Brazilian antivenoms in neutralizing these activities. The hemorrhagic activity of L. muta venom was similarly neutralized by Bothrops, Bothrops-Lachesis and Bothrops-Crotalus antivenoms. The coagulant and defibrinogenant activities were better neutralized by the Bothrops-Lachesis antivenom. Bothrops-Crotalus antivenom also neutralized these activities, indicating that it can be an alternative to treat Lachesis envenomations when Bothrops-Lachesis antivenom is unavailable.

Snakebite envenomation in the Brazilian Amazon: a cost-of-illness study.

BACKGROUND: Snakebites account for significant morbidity and mortality. Their occurrence in the Brazilian Amazon warrants an analysis that will enable better understanding of their economic impact and thus contribute to their management and prevention. This study aimed to estimate the cost of snakebite envenomation in the Brazilian Amazon in 2015. METHODS: We conducted a cost-of-illness study of snakebite in the Brazilian Amazon in 2015 based on official surveillance data to estimate burden from a societal, patient and public health system perspective. Direct medical costs were estimated via a top-down approach. Loss of productivity was estimated by a human capital approach. RESULTS: The study included 11 503 cases and 56 deaths. The estimated cost to the health system was US$3.115.861,28. The estimated cost due to premature death caused by snakebite was US$3031 300.38. The cost attributed to the loss of productivity due to absence from work was US$1539 518.62. The estimated cost from the patient's perspective was US$268 914.18. Therefore the total cost of snakebite in the Brazilian Amazon was estimated to be almost than US$8 million in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: The economic burden of snakebite in Brazilian Amazon is notably high. Snakebites cause loss of productivity through inpatient treatment or deaths.

Factors Associated with Systemic Bleeding in Bothrops Envenomation in a Tertiary Hospital in the Brazilian Amazon.

Bothrops snakebites usually present systemic bleeding, and the clinical⁻epidemiological and laboratorial factors associated with the development of this manifestation are not well established. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of Bothrops snakebites with systemic bleeding reported at the Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, and the clinical⁻epidemiological and laboratorial factors associated with systemic bleeding. This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out between August, 2013 and July, 2016. Patients who developed systemic bleeding on admission or during hospitalization were considered cases, and those with non-systemic bleeding were included in the control group. Systemic bleeding was observed in 63 (15.3%) of the 442 Bothrops snakebites evaluated. Bothrops snakebites mostly occurred in males (78.2%), in rural areas (89.0%) and in the age group of 11 to 30 years old (40.4%). It took most of the patients (59.8%) less than 3 h to receive medical assistance. Unclottable blood (AOR = 3.11 (95% CI = 1.53 to 6.31; p = 0.002)) and thrombocytopenia (AOR = 4.52 (95% CI = 2.03 to 10.09; p < 0.001)) on admission were independently associated with systemic bleeding during hospitalization. These hemostatic disorders on admission increase the chances of systemic bleeding during hospitalization. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiology of systemic bleeding in Bothrops snakebites in the Amazon region.

Poor efficacy of preemptive amoxicillin clavulanate for preventing secondary infection from Bothrops snakebites in the Brazilian Amazon: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Secondary bacterial infections from snakebites contribute to the high complication rates that can lead to permanent function loss and disabilities. Although common in endemic areas, routine empirical prophylactic use of antibiotics aiming to prevent secondary infection lacks a clearly defined policy. The aim of this work was to estimate the efficacy of amoxicillin clavulanate for reducing the secondary infection incidence in patients bitten by Bothrops snakes, and, secondarily, identify risk factors for secondary infections from snakebites in the Western Brazilian Amazon. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This was an open-label, two-arm individually randomized superiority trial to prevent secondary infection from Bothrops snakebites. The antibiotic chosen for this clinical trial was oral amoxicillin clavulanate per seven days compared to no intervention. A total of 345 patients were assessed for eligibility in the study period. From this total, 187 accomplished the inclusion criteria and were randomized, 93 in the interventional group and 94 in the untreated control group. All randomized participants completed the 7 days follow-up period. Enzyme immunoassay confirmed Bothrops envenoming diagnosis in all participants. Primary outcome was defined as secondary infection (abscess and/or cellulitis) until day 7 after admission. Secondary infection incidence until 7 days after admission was 35.5% in the intervention group and 44.1% in the control group [RR = 0.80 (95%CI = 0.56 to 1.15; p = 0.235)]. Survival analysis demonstrated that the time from patient admission to the onset of secondary infection was not different between amoxicillin clavulanate treated and control group (Log-rank = 2.23; p = 0.789).Secondary infections incidence in 7 days of follow-up was independently associated to fibrinogen >400 mg/dL [AOR = 4.78 (95%CI = 2.17 to 10.55; p<0.001)], alanine transaminase >44 IU/L [AOR = 2.52 (95%CI = 1.06 to 5.98; p = 0.037)], C-reactive protein >6.5 mg/L [AOR = 2.98 (95%CI = 1.40 to 6.35; p = 0.005)], moderate pain [AOR = 24.30 (95%CI = 4.69 to 125.84; p<0.001)] and moderate snakebites [AOR = 2.43 (95%CI = 1.07 to 5.50; p = 0.034)]. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Preemptive amoxicillin clavulanate was not effective for preventing secondary infections from Bothrops snakebites. Laboratorial markers, such as high fibrinogen, alanine transaminase and C-reactive protein levels, and severity clinical grading of snakebites, may help to accurately diagnose secondary infections. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (ReBec): RBR-3h33wy; UTN Number: U1111-1169-1005.

Severe Hemorrhagic Syndrome After Lonomia Caterpillar Envenomation in the Western Brazilian Amazon: How Many More Cases Are There?

Contact with Lonomia caterpillars can cause a hemorrhagic syndrome. In Brazil, Lonomia obliqua and Lonomia achelous are known to cause this venom-induced disease. In the Brazilian Amazon, descriptions of this kind of envenomation are scarce. Herein, we report a severe hemorrhagic syndrome caused by Lonomia envenomation in the Amazonas state, Western Brazilian Amazon. The patient showed signs of hemorrhage lasting 8 days and required Lonomia antivenom administration, which resulted in resolution of hemorrhagic syndrome. Thus, availability of Lonomia antivenom as well as early antivenom therapy administration should be addressed across remote areas in the Amazon.

Comparison of phylogeny, venom composition and neutralization by antivenom in diverse species of bothrops complex.

In Latin America, Bothrops snakes account for most snake bites in humans, and the recommended treatment is administration of multispecific Bothrops antivenom (SAB--soro antibotrópico). However, Bothrops snakes are very diverse with regard to their venom composition, which raises the issue of which venoms should be used as immunizing antigens for the production of pan-specific Bothrops antivenoms. In this study, we simultaneously compared the composition and reactivity with SAB of venoms collected from six species of snakes, distributed in pairs from three distinct phylogenetic clades: Bothrops, Bothropoides and Rhinocerophis. We also evaluated the neutralization of Bothrops atrox venom, which is the species responsible for most snake bites in the Amazon region, but not included in the immunization antigen mixture used to produce SAB. Using mass spectrometric and chromatographic approaches, we observed a lack of similarity in protein composition between the venoms from closely related snakes and a high similarity between the venoms of phylogenetically more distant snakes, suggesting little connection between taxonomic position and venom composition. P-III snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) are the most antigenic toxins in the venoms of snakes from the Bothrops complex, whereas class P-I SVMPs, snake venom serine proteinases and phospholipases A2 reacted with antibodies in lower levels. Low molecular size toxins, such as disintegrins and bradykinin-potentiating peptides, were poorly antigenic. Toxins from the same protein family showed antigenic cross-reactivity among venoms from different species; SAB was efficient in neutralizing the B. atrox venom major toxins. Thus, we suggest that it is possible to obtain pan-specific effective antivenoms for Bothrops envenomations through immunization with venoms from only a few species of snakes, if these venoms contain protein classes that are representative of all species to which the antivenom is targeted.