Snake Anti-Venom From Chicken Eggs

Makarand writes "Scientists have found a way to collect snake anti-venom from chicken eggs according to this article in The Times Of India. In this newly developed technique 12 week old birds injected with sub-lethal doses of venom followed by a booster dose after 2-3 weeks started to lay eggs with anti-venom antibodies concentrated in the yolk. Anti-venom produced in horses sometimes has other proteins that can cause allergic reactions, kidney failure and serum sickness in some people. Anti-venom from chicken is expected to have no such side-effects. This newly developed process is also an improvement in the quantity of anti-venom produced - antibodies produced by 1 litre of horse blood could be obtained from just 50 chicken eggs."