Abstract

LOMONTE, Bruno. Snake venoms: from research to treatment. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2012, vol.54, n.2, pp.86-96. ISSN 0001-6002.

The present work offers a brief overview on how the problem of ophidism has been confronted in Costa Rica, and especially, on how scientific and technological research has contributed to this goal. The origins of the antiophidic struggle in the country and the creation of the Instituto Clodomiro Picado, at the University of Costa Rica in 1970, are briefly summarized. The first stages of its work are described, as well as the evolution of different research areas on snakes, venoms and antivenoms; which have contributed during four decades to the existence of adequate and sufficient therapeutic resources to tackle ophidism in Costa Rica and in the Central American region.

Keywords : snake venoms; toxins; antivenoms; anti-ophidic sera; ophidism.

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