The invention is a portable, hand-held, venom desensitizer capable of generating a brief titrated dose of DC high voltage, low amperage current delivered to human tissue. It is an electronic circuit used for the treatment of venomous bites and stings. A 9-volt battery provides power to the circuit so the electrodes deliver the low amperage current through the venom-affected area, using an extension wire when necessary. This neutralizes the poisonous venom and targets the oxidative stress related to the envenomation.

 Envenomations are a traumatic and potentially life altering event. No one expects or can truly anticipate the physical repercussions, the emotional burden of both the bite or sting, the subsequent morbidity, and the financial burden a venomous bite or sting may cause. Annual U.S. and worldwide human and animal envenomations are too numerous to accurately document. Annual worldwide deaths due to envenomations is approximately 125,000, although realistically, this number is higher.

 Country living and time spent outdoors increases the probability of being bitten or stung (i.e., or otherwise exposed) by a snake, spider, bee, wasp, scorpion, jellyfish, poisonous snail, poisonous frog, fire ants, etc. Farmers, agricultural workers, field biologists, pastoralists, those handling potentially venomous species, forest workers, landscapers, gardeners, hunters, fishermen, grounds keepers, construction workers, hikers, nomadic communities, campers, herdsmen, and anyone spending time outside experiences greater exposure and thus greater risk. In poor rural communities, poor sanitation, poorly constructed houses, sleeping on the floor, outdoor toilets and outdoor bathing areas increase exposure and risk. Adding to poisonous envenomations are those who are allergic to a specific species’ venom, such as those with a bee sting allergy. A bite or sting may result in a minor irritation, involve significant medical interventions and / or it may cause death.

 When it comes to snakebites, the majority of bite victims are between 10 and 30 years of age, typically those who spend the most time outdoors. Outside of the USA, snakebites disproportionately affect the lower socioeconomic working class. In the US, death from bites and stings is rare because of proximity to healthcare professionals and targeted availability of anti-venoms. Complications may include loss of part or all of an appendage, loss of function, permanent disability, etc. In the USA, disability due to rattlesnake bites is between 10% to 44% of those envenomated.

 The morbidity of a bite is related to several aspects of both the vector and the victim. Not all snakebites envenomate their victim but the actual bite may transfer toxic pathogens (collected “data” show that around 20% to 45% are actually envenomated at the time of the snakebite). However, most people, when bitten by a snake develop signs such as rapid breathing, vasovagal shock, physical collapse, hypertension, rapid pulse, sweating, trembling, etc. Sometimes, treatments such as tourniquets, herbal remedies, incisions, cauterization, immersion in scalding liquids result in additional injuries.

 Poisonous snake bites are more problematic around the world compared to the USA, although accurate worldwide data on snake, insect and other types of envenomations is difficult to ascertain. Envenomations are not a reportable event and thus, many go undocumented. Poisonous snakes bite around 1.2 to 5.5 million people per year. Scorpions sting 1.2 million people leading to 3,250 deaths per year (death rate less than 1%), but the pain associated with a scorpion bite can be so extreme it can be temporarily disabling. Spider bites, while not causing high mortality, may cause significant morbidity and lead to long-term disability.

 The Global Snakebite Initiative (an international non-profit organization registered in Australia) seeks to mobilize resources to treat poisonous bites in tropical regions, particularly in the tropical areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and parts of Oceana. Envenomations are considered to be an increasingly major and neglected tropical disease.

 Efforts spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and various partner agencies targeting poisonous bites have historically fallen short of their stated objectives. In 2017 and thanks in part to the work of Dr. David Williams, the WHO placed snakebites on its top 20 priority list as a Category A Neglected Tropical Disease (for the second time).

 Even with a push from the medical community to return snakebites to the WHO top 20 priority list and pockets of ongoing research, there is currently no coordinated strategy to address this pressing problem. Those not mortally bitten, live and suffer disabilities, financial devastation, psychological distress and social stigmas.  Some have reported for every person who dies from a snakebite, there are another three to four people who experience major disability and are unable to return to work. To compound the issue, pharmaceutical companies have been reluctant to engage in drug formulation efforts because of historically low returns on investment, anti-venom is a one-time use and not a recurring prescription, supplies are limited, and the result of major side effects of administering anti-venom.

 Venom from poisonous snakes and other vectors is transferred to humans via skin puncture, bite, touching, or spitting. Immediately following envenomation, redness, swelling and severe pain occur at the site and spread outward. Venom entering the systemic circulation may cause nausea, vomiting, shaking, changes in breathing, internal bleeding, kidney failure, anaphylaxis, necrotic tissue, and may require amputation and in some cases, cause death.

 Sometimes venomous bites are treated by making two crosswise cuts across the puncture wound(s) and using some form of suction to physically remove the venom from the wound site. Oftentimes, out of necessity, this procedure of cutting open the skin and subsequently suctioning out toxic, poisonous venom is oftentimes done by non-medical personnel in the field, near or at the location of the envenomation. Cutting open the wound and suctioning out venom is risky, especially when done by a non-medical person. The possibility of cutting an artery, nerve or cutting deeper and broader may cause the victim to go into shock and die from blood loss. It is possible to introduce foreign pathogens or other matter to the wound cut area and this may lead to infection and activation of pyrogenic factors, also increasing the likelihood the victim will die before reaching appropriate medical professionals. There is also a chance of blood poisoning if the suction does not remove all or most of the venom. The person performing the cutting procedure may also be at risk. Currently the Red Cross does not recommend this treatment.

 Limited numbers of pharmaceutical companies engage in anti-venom production. Vectors vary in their individual venom profiles (even within the same species) making anti-venom, to some degree, less effective. “Specific” anti-venom implies the anti-venom has been created using the actual venom vector. Monovalent anti-venom (monospecific) neutralizes the venom of only one species of snake. Polyvalent anti-venom neutralizes the venom of several different snake species. Anti-venom safety is a legitimate concern. Reports suggest 6% to 59% of those treated with anti-venom experience early onset reactions from the administration of animal-based plasma-derived anti-venoms. Another 5% to 23% of anti-venom treated victims experience delayed onset serum sickness (typically observed one to two weeks after anti-venom treatment). Highly purified anti-venoms, primarily available in or near hubs of modern medicine, have much lower rates of early adverse reactions. Administration of anti-venom may be associated with side effects such as flushing, itching hives, face / tongue / throat swelling, cough, shortness of breath, cyanosis, vomiting and anaphylaxis. Very close medical supervision is required when administering anti-venom.

 Dr. Robert Harrison, Director of the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit, is spearheading scientific research to improve the quality of anti-venoms and ultimately develop a universal anti-venom for sub-Saharan Africa. The lack of robust engagement by the pharmaceutical industry in the development and manufacture of anti-venoms will likely continue, thus making the need for alternative treatments, even with variable efficacy, important. In addition, most currently marketed anti-venoms have never been formally tested for safety and efficacy. Ideally it is best to match snakebite anti-venom to the actual vector, but this rarely occurs. In fact, most times the bite vector species is not positively identified. Most anti-venoms do not address tissue destruction (i.e., necrosis) caused by specific toxins.

 Each poisonous bite potentially represents an existential threat. For example, most people will not die when stung by a bee unless they have had multiple stings. Most people will not die from an intensely painful jelly fish sting unless you are stung by a box jelly fish. In these cases, one only has a matter of seconds, maybe minutes before dying from highly toxic venom. In the USA, the Arizona bark scorpion carries the most toxic venom, but relatively few deaths are associated  with its extremely painful and distressing bite. If you are stung by the South Indian Mesobuthus tamulus scorpion (i.e., found in India, eastern Pakistan, the lowlands of Nepal, and Sri Lanka), your body may go into an “autonomic storm” and the risk of life-threatening cardiogenic shock is significant. Even if you reach medical personnel, you may be at long term risk for cardiac-related pathophysiology. 

 Venom based toxicology has identified numerous compounds that vary in biological activity and toxicokinetic profiles. Each vector and its consort of toxins transferred to the victim’s body results in variable pathology. In fact, it may be difficult to predict the effects due to our limited understanding of how a multiple toxin cocktail impacts human biology. Kroegel, et al., states there are at least 26 enzymes found in snake venoms and 12 are found in all venoms including the venom melittin, which stimulates phospholipase A and hyaluronidase, causing pain and inflammation at the site of envenomation. Additional toxins are various proteins and polypeptides, characterized by an overall net positive charge (e.g., cardiotoxin cytotoxin and direct lytic factor). The venom proteins and polypeptides potentiate the actions of phosphoslipase A.  Some toxins are low molecular mass proteins and circulate throughout the body, easily accessing the peripheral nervous system. Higher molecular mass toxins such as metallo- and serine proteinases while accessing the systemic circulation, are found at a lower volume due to their larger molecular size. They are associated with hemorrhage and coagulation disorders.

 In an editorial interview by Chao Xiao of venom researchers, Jay Fox and José María Gutierréz and published in Toxins (2017), Jay Fox provides the following guidance in understanding toxic venoms. They are listed in the order provided:

(a) Venoms are comprised of toxic and non-toxic components (many of which are proteins and peptides).

(b) In many venoms, the activity of toxins is dependent on enzymatic activities directed at specific substrates.

(c) In the case of snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs), the hemorrhagic SVMPs were demonstrated to disrupt the basement membranes of capillaries allowing the extravasation of contents into the stroma.

(d) Venoms are somewhat complex and this is demonstrated by proteomics and transcriptomics.

(e) The toxic effects of venom are due to the collective action of toxins and non-toxic components in the venom and to understand envenomation, must ultimately take a systems approach.

 (f) Development of anti-venom agents must always consider the venom as a system; not a simple collection of unilaterally acting toxins.  

(g) By discovering the activities of toxins we will better understand the function and structure of normal orthologs, and by understanding the targets and the nature of the toxin mechanisms, the possibility of developing novel drugs becomes a reality.

 In the same editorial interview by Chao Xiao, interviewee José María Gutierréz, went on to state the study of venomous toxins would merge with the study of promising new drugs for treating a variety of diseases. While medical researchers make promises about future anti-venoms, we have a solution that addresses the major actions of the venom when administered in easily titrated doses. This method has been successfully used by numerous physicians in the treatment of poisonous snake bites, brown recluse spider bites, fire ant bites and others. In treating somewhere between 300 to 400 cases of poisonous bites, Dr. Stan Abrams has only had a single failure using a similar device. The one failure was in an obese person, where excess abdominal fat, acting as an insulator, interfered with the delivery of high voltage DC electrons. This method has not only addressed envenomations, but has reversed the ongoing and disabling effects of a brown recluse spider bite, 10 years after the initial envenomation.   Other physicians and medical personnel known to this team of investigators / inventors have treated multiple hundreds of clients with outstanding success. A previous version of this unit has been successfully used by veterinarians to treat snake-bitten dogs.

 Brown recluse spider venom contains a necrotizing type venom, known to target and damage local as well as systemic tissue, including damage to the kidneys. Ideally, toxin neutralization is timely, systemic, and targets both low and high molecular mass metalloproteinases and serine proteinases. From an antigenic perspective, toxins are considered to be neutralized when they are bound by the variable region of an antibody. In addition to neutralizing the toxin-based metallo- and serine proteinases there may be other novel avenues of neutralizing toxins such as changing protein structures and slowing or halting damaging oxidative type reactions. Ultimately, all toxins, but especially necrotizing toxins cause massive oxidative damage to local tissues. The oxidative damage almost always overwhelms the body’s cytological immune responses. As long as the toxin is in its active form, it causes local as well as potentially systemic effects. Delivery of a dosed and titrated electric shock to human tissue possessing electro-magnetic properties, forces a biological correction that anti-venoms are not currently able to imitate.  The correction involves a structural alteration in the venom molecule that is rapid and in almost all cases leads to a successful resolution.

 The actions of the venom desensitizer may also overlap plant-based folk remedies. For centuries, natural remedies such as plants have been applied to toxic bites and stings with minimal success. Patino A.C., et al., describe how the plant Renealmia alpina, has been used to neutralize edema-forming, hemorrhagic, lethal and fibrin(ogen)ating actions of Bothrops asper venom. The plant is described as inhibiting the enzymatic and toxic activities of snake venom metalloproteinase (inhibition of proteolytic activity on fibrinogen), inhibiting serine proteinase activity, inhibiting coagulant, and inhibiting edema-causing properties of venom. In addition to the plant Renealmia alpina, more than 700 plants have experimentally demonstrated various degrees of venom neutralizing properties. The compounds thought to neutralize the venom components act in various mechanistic modes including high doses of free electrons acting as antioxidants and altering pH, slowing or halting oxidative reactions, and changing metal binding affinities of venom metalloproteinases. It is possible the transfer of electrons also modifies or causes metabolic enhancements that rapidly neutralize toxins. The venom desensitizer is a novel way to safely and efficiently deliver and titrate large millisecond doses of electrons, transdermally. This unit allows the operator to rapidly address potentially venomous and toxic encounters with the most healing, least damaging option of high voltage electron transfer. This method alone or when combined with additional therapies begins to immediately stop the toxic actions of the venom. In addition, the high voltage donation / transfer of electrons provides a large dose of antioxidants to stop progressive oxidative reactions. In contrast, the use of pharmaceutical anti-venoms transfer foreign, “unrecognizable,” and allergenic proteins in the form of horse-based globins to humans. It is normal to expect rejection reactions, which occur and can be medically serious. In contrast, when external high dose electrons (i.e., which are the same as those already in the body), are delivered to the body via high voltage and low amperage, outstanding results are reported with no reported untoward side effects.

 The venom desensitizer is a battery driven electronic unit for transmitting high DC voltage and low amperage energy to the envenomation site. This destabilizes and de-organizes toxic metalloproteinases. This occurs through several physical and chemical phenomena including electrolysis (inducing a non-spontaneous chemical reaction) and electrophoresis. It also ends oxidative reactions by providing large amounts of free electrons without causing negative side effects other than a brief electrical shock.

 Even though a previous version of this unit has historically been highly effective in treating and resolving poisonous envenomations, this unit is not intended to confer a false sense of security. Non-venom issues such as bacterial infections, psychological and others issues should motivate those spending significant time outdoors to use caution and care in avoiding encounters with venomous vectors. This unit excels in the ability to titrate delivery of single doses of DC electrons.

 In summary, the efforts of hundreds of researchers studying venoms and their actions for wide-ranging applications is indicative of a reductionist view, the view that pharmaceutical drugs are the solution to almost all human pathological phenomena. The search for non-drug solutions would more likely lead to “natural” or even a forced type of “biological correction.” This type of successful biological correction could be further augmented by diet and lifestyle choices as well as mild pharmaceutical adjuncts but they are not necessary for successful resolution of bites and stings treated by this unit.

 The venom desensitizer covers a wide range of venom types. It does not require a professional to administer. There is very low risk associated with its use. The cost of this unit is extremely small compared to securing standard-of-care medical interventions that may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and span weeks to decades. High voltage and low amperage are associated with enough current to override skin resistance and penetrate through the envenomated tissue without harming soft tissue or bone. The dose of electrons delivered to the bite area aids in stopping the oxidative stress associated with toxins as well as promoting rapid healing. High voltage and low amperage associated with each single titrated shock will alter venom proteins and change valence of metallic ions on the enzymes of most venoms, inactivating the toxin and allowing the body’s innate detoxification functions to eliminate the neutralized toxin.

 

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