Question

A man has been bitten by a snake. What type of immunization is used to treat him and what is the exact agent? Why is this type of immunization necessary in this case?

Answer 1

Answer:

The type of immunization used is passive, and the exact agent used is an antivenom. This type of immunization is necessary because the man does not have antibodies to fight against the venom's toxins.

Explanation:

To treat from snake bites is necessary to use antivenoms, these are given to the patient as soon as possible after the bite, they consist on a mixture of hyperimmune globulins and other proteins obtained from the serum of animals, usually horses or sheep, previously immunized with the venom of a snake. This kind of immunization is called passive immunization, is temporary and it uses exogenous preformed antibodies to provide treatment to an unprotected individual.

In this case, we use this kind of immunization because the person who was bitten didn't have the previous contact with the snake's venom, this means that the victim does not have antibodies to fight against the toxins in their body.

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