• Question: what would be the result of an allergic reaction to snake venom?

    Asked by emz_downend to Adam on 23 Jun 2017.
    • Photo: Adam Hargreaves

      Adam Hargreaves answered on 23 Jun 2017:

      Sometimes depends on the reaction, in the worst case it can be anaphlyaxis which is a very serious, life threatening event, and needs treating immediately.
      The most common allergic reaction is actually due to antivenom treatment (at least traditional ones). This is because antivenom is horse antibodies, and our bodies do a very good job of knowing what should be inside it and what shouldn’t, and it recognises the horse antibodies as foreign (much like it would bacteria). Usually this manifests itself as serum sickness, which is intense itching all over for a few days after treatment.

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