Development and Evaluation of a Snake Vaccine in Mice and Rhesus Monkeys

Snakebites kill more people in India than all the countries in the world put-together. India accounts for half of all snakebite deaths worldwide. The only treatment for venomous snakebite is the administration of antivenom. But it has limitations. A snake vaccine is an attractive alternative. This study focuses on the development of a prophylactic vaccine against Russell’s viper using gamma radiation and its evaluation in mice and rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).