Inter-individual variability in equine antibody responses to African snake venoms follows heavy-tailed distributions with implications for antivenom production

  Inter-individual variability in equine antibody responses to African snake venoms follows heavy-tailed distributions with implications for antivenom production Abstract Variability in the antibody response of horses used for snake antivenom manufacture is well recognized, yet its statistical structure and implications for industrial productivity remain poorly characterized. In this study, we quantified antivenom antibody titers by ELISA in a cohort of 14 horses immunized with venoms from the clinically most important snakes in sub-Saharan Africa. To integrate antibody levels with plasma availability, we calculated the Cumulative Plasma Productivity (CPP) by converting individual plasma volumes into titer-corrected equivalents and sequentially pooling these volumes according to their corrected contribution. Distributional analysis revealed right-skewed, heavy-tailed patterns better approximated by a log-normal model than by a strict Pareto (power-law) form, with approximately 20–3...

Letter: Description of Two Cases of Spider Bites Attributed to Loxosceles rufescens (Araneae, Sicariidae) in Albania

 


Letter: Description of Two Cases of Spider Bites Attributed to Loxosceles rufescens (Araneae, Sicariidae) in Albania

Fewer than 0.5% of spider species are medically significant, with the genus Loxosceles responsible for most dermonecrotic envenomings.1,2 In the Mediterranean, Loxosceles rufescens is the primary species associated with loxoscelism.2 This synanthropic spider thrives in human dwellings, typically biting only when inadvertently provoked.1,3,4 Its venom, containing sphingomyelinase D, triggers local inflammation and necrosis,1,5 and rarer the acute localized exanthematous pustulosis.6 Diagnosis is often challenged by initial painlessness, leading to frequent misidentification as bacterial infections.2,4,5 These cases in Albania highlight the need for improved clinical recognition of regional spider-bite occurrences.7
Two cases were retrospectively documented via interviews and photos. Informed consent was obtained from both participants. 
Vrenozi, B., & Dugon, M. Letter: Description of Two Cases of Spider Bites Attributed to Loxosceles rufescens (Araneae, Sicariidae) in Albania. Dermatitis®. https://doi.org/10.1177_17103568261444624