Antigenic cross reactivity among the venoms and toxins from unrelated diverse sources.

Numerous investigators have studied and reported the antigenic reactivity of venoms from the species of snakes belonging to a genus or a family. However, there is very little published data on the inter-family antigenic cross reactivity among the venoms of snakes and absolutely no data on venoms from other sources such as honey bee, scorpion and toad. This report describes the antigenic and immunological cross reactivity among the venoms of snakes from major families: Crotalidae, Elapidae, Viperidae, Hydrophiidae and venoms from honey bee, scorpion and toad. The homologous polyclonal antisera versus snake venoms showed high reactivity to the respective venoms and varying degree to other venoms revealing the inter-family antigenic cross-reactivity. Surprisingly, venoms from bee, scorpion and toad showed antigenic cross reactivity to snake venoms. Antisera against snake venoms reacted immunologically to venoms from bee and scorpion but toad venom reacted only to anti C. atrox venom. The immunological cross reactivity among singular toxins, cobratoxin, ricin A, botulinum A and cholera was studied by using respective polyclonal antibodies. Immunological high cross reactivity was observed between bee venom and anti ricin, similarly between anti botulinum and cobratoxin. Bee venom reacted immunologically to all anti-toxins.