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TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 05 September 03 Finally, a way to detect snake venom in the blood (K P Narayana Kumar)
Hyderabad: Snake bite deaths have for long been a matter of bitter legal dispute in the absence of a confirmatory test for venom in India. Now, a technique being developed at the Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory looks to give concrete answers to the questions raised by ‘fang-marks’ on a dead body.
Hitherto, it was impossible to be certain even after a postmortem examination whether a person died of snakebite, as venom turns into protein once it enters the bloodstream. For long, labs have been searching for a way to verify venom from Indian snakes such as cobras, kraits, Russell’s vipers and bungarus. However, a few labs in the west have established means of verifying venoms produced by snake species found there.
Non-verification of snake-bites has hit insurance companies and dependants of snake-bite victims in this country the hardest. About three years ago officials from one of the largest insurance firms in the country had come to the FSL with a problem, director K P C Gandhi told The Times of India.
“The insurance officials told me that they were getting hundreds of fake snake-bite claims, especially from rural areas. In many cases, it was proved that close relatives had murdered the deceased to claim insurance. Usually, after poisoning the man and killing him, the murderers would carve ‘fangmarks’ on the body to suggest snakebite,” he said.
On the other hand, farmers from Warangal, Adilabad and Karimnagar where hundreds of snake-bite cases are reported every year, too are at a loss because of the current system. The farmers — most of whom are covered under group insurance policies — are unable to get claim amounts from insurance companies. The firms do not take at face-value the findings of the forensic doctor in his postmortem report or the FIR registered by the police.
“When we approach the insurance companies with a snake-bite claim, they suspect that we have bribed the forensic doctor and the police to get a snake-bite case registered and stall our claims forever,” says Narayana Rao, an advocate, who has dealt with snakebite cases.
The technique, being developed by Dr B Sashidhar Rao of the biochemistry department of Osmania University and FSL research assistant M Santhoshi Kumari, can prove snake-bite by a minute examination of the skin layers.
The technique will be broadly based on the Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay Testing. Soon, the FSL plans to come out with snake-bite detection kits which can be routinely taken to crime scenes.
Finally, a way to detect snake venom in the blood

Gee isn't protein what venom toxins are in the first place?

Still nice to see the Indian's are catching up with 1970's technology.

David
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David Williams
PNG Snake Venom Research Project
PO Box 168
Port Moresby, NCD, PNG.

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Venom is protein and you can drink it. The problem arises when it is injected into, or spit at the victim. When it enters the bloodstream, life becomes interesting. The proteins in the venom replace other naturally-occurring proteins in the body, and take their place in receptor sites causing breathing to cease, the heart to malfunction, just to mention two of many possibilites. All of this occurs in the involuntary nervous systems which we don't have to think about to survive. This is a very simplified version of what happens when someone is envenomated.
Mary Ann

Yes but what David was pointing out was that ELISA technology is as cutting edge as a spoon. In anycase, the article had an 'only in Asia' sort of twist regarding the poisoning of relatives and claiming it was snakebite. A very nice touch.

Cheers
B

Dr. F.

Original? May I use it? It's a GREAT statement! I see multiple uses... may become part of my repertoire. Kinda like "We're having a heated agreement".

Regards,
Jeff Nichols

This statement arose from our time in Singabore, in the food centres there, they never give you a bloody knife. You are given a fork and a spoon and have to hack through your meat using a @#$#@$ spoon!! I'm serious. Shows how ludicrous the place can get.

Feel free to use it

Cheers
B

All the more reason to think of a good sharp knife in terms applied to the American Express Card.... Never leave home without one

>>.......in Singabore, in the food centres there, they never give you a bloody knife.....
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"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

Can you elaborate on the technique which the article states is based on "Engyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay Testing"?
It also mentions a "minute examination of the skin layers."
Mary Ann

This enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or “ELISA” for short is a test that makes use of antibodies specific for components of certain snake venoms. The Indian test probably screens for Russell’s viper, sawscale viper, krait, and cobra. The venom-specific antibody is coated and fixed onto a surface. Next, a sample suspected of containing snake venom is placed on the antibody coated surface. If venom components are present the antibodies will bind and hold them to the surface. Next, more venom-specific antibody is added, only this second antibody is carrying a linked enzyme (hence term “enzyme-linked”). If venom components were present and therefore bound by the first antibody, they will be present for the second antibody to also bind. If no venom is there, the second antibody has nothing to bind so it doesn’t stick. Finally, the linked enzyme is given a substrate which it turns into a visible, colored product. So if you see color, venom is there. If no color, no venom. As D. Williams pointed out, this technique has been in use for decades.

I suspect “minute examination” is mine-yute (ala Joe Pesci saying “youth” in the movie My Cousin Vinny) examination, meaning examination of an exceedingly small sample of skin? Anyway, that’s my guess.

Cheers,
WK