Preparation of a polyvalent antivenom against various Mexican scorpion Centruroides species

Antisera were obtained from rabbits injected with four different immunogens from the Mexican scorpion Centruroides suffusus suffusus i.e. the crude venom, a telson extract, a toxic fraction obtained from this telson extract by gel filtration and the same toxic fraction subjected to acetylation. The neutralizing capacity of these antisera are compared: it appears that a telson extract can be used instead of the crude venom to produce an efficient antiserum. The immunological properties of ground telsons obtained from three other species of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides (Centruroides noxius, Centruroides limpidus limpidus, Centruroides limpidus tecomanus) are studied with the antisera raised against Centruroides suffusus suffusus immunogens: an almost total cross-neutralization is observed.