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Scientists use blood of man bitten by hundreds of snakes to develop universal antivenom

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published May 7, 2025 at 10:47 AM CDT
A Puff Adder rests on the ground in the Kenyan Rift Valleys of the Baringo county, which bears one of the highest incidences of venomous snake attacks in Kenya, on February 22, 2019. (Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images)
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A Puff Adder rests on the ground in the Kenyan Rift Valleys of the Baringo county, which bears one of the highest incidences of venomous snake attacks in Kenya, on February 22, 2019. (Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images)

Scientists could be one step closer to developing a universal antivenom using the blood of a man who allowed himself to be bitten by venomous snakes hundreds of times.

Usha Lee McFarling, national science correspondent at STAT, joins us to discuss.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom