The effects of bothropic envenomation in 10 crossbred heifers, randomly divided into two groups, that received 0.15mg/kg of body weight of Bothrops alternatus crude or iodinated venom were studied. Behavior; attitude; appetite; defecation; urination; mucous membranes; capillary perfusion time; lymph nodes; respiratory, cardiac and pulse frequencies; rectal temperature and rumination frequency diameter and skin fold of the foreleg on the inoculation site were observed before(zero time) and at 6 and 10h and on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 25th day after venom inoculation. Two cattle of Bothrops crude venom group, died at 53 and 78h and the surviving animals showed apathy, lethargy, anorexia, pain indicative attitudes, melena, hemorrhagic spots and suffusions on mucous membranes, increased capillary perfusion time, enlarged regional lymph nodes, increased respiratory and cardiac frequencies, decreased peripheric arterial pulse frequency, elevated rectal temperature and decreased of ruminal movements. Bleeding, necrotic point and increase (P< 0.05) diameter and skin fold of the foreleg were identified on the inoculated site, confirming local edema. All the animals were evaluated for Bothrops alternatus venom specific IgG on the 17th, 24th, 31st, 45th, 60th and 180th day. Only the animals receiving crude venom produced IgG specific until the 45th day. The animals inoculated with iodinated venom showed general alterations and minor local effects and did not produce specific IgG, indicating that the iodination decreased both toxicity and immunogenicity response.
cattle; Bothrops alternatus; signs pathology; iodination; IgG
