Venom Mass Fingerprints for Species Delimitation, Reloaded: A Test Case with Italian Scorpions (Euscorpius)

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  Venom Mass Fingerprints for Species Delimitation, Reloaded: A Test Case with Italian Scorpions (Euscorpius) Abstract Scorpion venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive compounds including proteins, peptides and enzymes. Although venoms exhibit substantial intraspecific variation, some compounds appear to be species-specific, highlighting their potential as chemotaxonomic markers. Venom mass fingerprints (MFPs) derived from Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry (MS) have been proposed as a means of delimiting species. However, their utility for species delimitation has rarely been evaluated against independent sources of taxonomic evidence. In the present study, the performance of MALDI-TOF MS-based venom peptide barcoding (mass ranges of m/z 800‒4500 and m/z 3000‒10,000) was assessed in 52 populations of eight Italian species of the scorpion genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, representing different levels of evolutionary divergenc...

Adding insult to injury: A review of infections following envenomings

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Adding insult to injury: A review of infections following envenomings

Abstract

Over 100 lineages of animal have evolved venom for a wide variety of purposes. An estimated 2.5 million people are bitten by snakes and another 1.2 million are stung by scorpions with many envenomings resulting in death. However, survival is not the end point of the envenoming syndrome as chronic life altering conditions, such as amputations, disfigurement and neuropathies can occur. In this context, infections at the site of envenomation could play an important role as they can exacerbate mortality and the incidence and severity of life altering conditions.
This review assesses the connection between envenoming and infections. It summarises and highlights the literature describing cases of envenoming-mediated infection by various taxa and the circumstances of these envenomings and the outcomes of infection. It could be deduced that the risk factors for envenoming-led infections are multifactorial. Factors enhancing the risk of infection include; 1. The delivery system, with larger devices leading to more substantial wounds, 2. Venom composition, with venoms containing cytotoxins more commonly implicated in infections, and 3. The environment, with aquatic microbiomes and venom system microbiomes as sources of the pathogen species. Infections are difficult to diagnose due to symptoms synonymous with those of the envenoming and it is recommended that medical practitioners consider the possibility of infection throughout all stages of medical treatment. There is a notable gap in our understanding of envenoming-led infections and further research will help to increase patient survival.

Leonard, D., Boyd, A., & Dugon, M. M. (2025). Adding insult to injury: A review of infections following envenomings. Toxicon: X, 27, 100230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2025.100230