Microbiology & Immunology - Theses
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ItemAustralian venoms and care of the envenomed patient( 1979)Investigations described in this thesis were undertaken by the candidate between 1967 and 1979 in the Department of Immunology Research at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville. A number of chapters have been shortened following the publication of relevant papers. The summaries and conclusions are drawn from this published material and only new data presented in the actual chapters. By this combination, advantage is taken of efforts of the editors of journals to compress data and eliminate material of only peripheral interest. The department's involvement in venom research began in a small way with a revival of interest into aspects of the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus). The arrival in the laboratory in 1967 of post mortem samples from a young man whose death followed a bite by a blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa) added further impetus to the study of venoms. By 1970 it had become clear that although areas of immunological research such as antilymphocyte globulins were promising, the explosion of the population of immunological workers encouraged the writer to direct attention more towards venom research. The use of immunological techniques, particularly aimed at the detection and quantitation of venom, appeared to offer some very interesting avenues for investigation. The eventual development of these procedures had immediate clinical and forensic applications. For the first time specific venom components could be detected in the plasma and urine of human snake bite victims. Apart from forensic uses, clinical syndromes could be ascribed to specific snake venoms and the degree of envenomation at the time of blood sampling accurately determined. More recently determination of plasma levels of snake venom in monkeys has allowed some rationalisation of first aid measures.
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ItemAntigenicity and immunological studies of sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri) and sea snake venoms( 1977)The studies encompassed in the major portion of this thesis record investigations of the antigenicity of sea wasp venom and their extension to the development of an active immunizing agent. They follow an extensive study of the venom's biological properties involved in its toxicity and the potential counteraction of these by antivenene. The latter studies have led to the introduction to clinical medicine of an antivenene effective not only against the venom of Australia's most venomous marine creature (Chironex fleckeri) but also against a closely related and visually similar venomous jellyfish (Chiropsalmus quadrigatus). Potentially a more important drug for the medical armamentarium,an immunizing agent in the form of a venom toxoid vaccine, has been researched, developed and evaluated in laboratory animals. When further safety testing has been carried out to satisfy the requirements of the New Drug Evaluation Committee, it will be possible to evaluate the vaccine in humans. If adequate antibody responses are obtained, it should be possible to offer protection against lethal sea wasp envenomation to those exposed to risk in tropical waters. Studies on venoms of another family of marine venomous creatures, the sea snakes, also form a part of this thesis. They were undertaken with a view to studying their relationship to the Australian tiger snake as expressed in neutralization of their venoms by a selection of antivenenes. The work reported in the first sea snake paper utilized the usually practised in vitro combination method, and the second sought to confirm or deny the poorly documented claim that in vitro combination was not an adequate guide to in vivo (clinical) usage by re-assessing the values using the in vivo protection method in laboratory animals. A substantial denial of the previously accepted view that in vitro combination might not be a good guide to in vivo experience, emphasized the need for statistical treatment of the results. It is hoped that such analyses will be widely accepted as the preferred method of evaluating results in future, as in other biological fields. (From Introduction)