How spitting cobra venom evolved to be a âdefensive chemical weaponâ
Save
Normal text size
Advertisement
Cobras spitting venom has been a known behaviour of the deadly species for years, but new research has confirmed for the first time that it is purely defensive and meant to ward off larger animals, including humans.
An international team of scientists including several from the University of Queensland examined venom from the three main snake species known to âspitâ â Asian spitting cobras, African spitting cobras and rinkhals.
New research has found the venom from spitting cobras is supercharged to cause as much pain as possible.
An international team including scientists from The University of Queensland , made the discovery by studying the composition of spitting cobra venoms from three groups of snakes Asian spitting cobras, African spitting cobras and rinkhals. Co-authors Professor Irina Vetter and Dr Sam Robinson from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience are among the team which demonstrated that the defensive mechanism had developed as a dominant genetic trait. “The fangs of these snakes are adapted to spray venom as far as 2.5 metres the venom is aimed directly at the face, specifically the eyes, causing intense pain and can lead to the loss of eyesight,” Dr Robinson said.
Bockarie has been involved in the control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) for over 30 years while Karutu has extensive experience designing and leading large-scale public health programs. x
Bockarie holds MSc and PhD degrees from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom for his research on NTDs and malaria transmission research in Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and Mali. He also undertook postdoctoral studies on NTDs in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the United States.
Bockarie serves as the Regional Director for Africa for the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), where he is also the legal representative of the organisation in South Africa. In his new capacity as a board member, Professor Bockarie will play a crucial role in fostering innovative technical approaches to ending NTDs, as well as exploring newer funding streams for NTD programs.
Isaac Adewole (Trustee member of the committee)
An external candidate, Professor Isaac Adewole has been a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria since 1997. He was the former Nigerian minister of health from 2015 to 2019 and the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan from 2010 to 2015 as well as the past President of African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC). His research interest is in the area of human papillomavirus, HIV, and gynaecologic oncology. Amongst the skills required for the Board of Trustees, Professor Adewole can point to knowledge of governance at the international or national level; experience of advocacy and working with government; and leadership in SRHR. Professor Adewole is from West Africa, currently located in Nigeria. He also lived in the UK for 18 months and spent 6 weeks in the USA in the past.
8:28 a.m. ET, January 14, 2021
Covid increased US death rate significantly in second quarter of 2020, according to new CDC data
From CNN Health s Jessica Firger
A Covid-19 disaster morgue made up of refrigerated trailers stands at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in New York, on December 14, 2020. Michael Nagle/Xinhua/Getty Images
Covid-19 caused a significant jump in the US death rate in the second quarter of 2020
The age-adjusted all-cause mortality rate was 769 per 100,000 in the first quarter of 2020 and rose to 840 in the second quarter of the year. Comparatively, the death rate for the second quarter of 2019 was 702 per 100,000.
The report shows that mortality rose significantly in 2020, but it’s an incomplete snapshot of the pandemic since data for only the first two quarters of 2020 are currently available.