Development and evaluation of the neutralizing capacity of horse antivenom against the Brazilian spider Loxosceles intermedia.

Spider bites due to Loxosceles intermedia are currently a major public health problem in South Brazil. About 3000 cases are reported annually. Specific treatment for spider bites is provided by the polyvalent anti-arachnidic antiserum produced by Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil by immunizing horses with mixtures of venoms from Tityus serrulatus and T. bahiensis scorpions, as well as Phoneutria nigriventer and L. gaucho spiders. Due to the large amounts of the anti-arachnidic antivenom required and since L. intermedia venom has some biochemical and pharmacological variations, we have produced a specific anti-L. intermedia antivenom. This study shows that horses immunized with crude L. intermedia venom produced IgG antibodies that neutralized the dermonecrotic and lethal activities of the venom. The neutralizing potency of the anti-loxoscelic antivenom was compared with that of the anti-arachnidic antivenom. Our results indicate that both antivenoms were effective in terms of neutralization. However, the anti-loxoscelic antivenom was more efficient than the anti-arachnidic.