Animal Venom Research International (AVRI) is a United States based nonprofit organization. Our vision is to alleviate world-wide suffering caused by animal envenomation. The mission of AVRI is to aid in the development of more effective prevention and treatment protocols for animal envenomation (a bite from a venomous animal resulting in toxins being injected into the body) by mediating between involved parties, educating medical personnel and the public in order to reduce morbidity and mortality around the world. With Sri Lanka as the starting point, AVRI's goal is to reach into areas of the world suffering from the worst morbidity and mortality rates due to animal envenomations.
The technology exists to improve the management of envenomations and quality of care within these regions. Moreover, educational outreach programs can help to prevent and reduce the numbers of bites and stings by venomous animals. Currently, anitvenoms are the only proven specific treatment for envenomation. AVRI is working with international partners to develop new, regionally specific, polyvalent or polyspecific (antivenoms that neutralize toxins from more than one species) antivenoms for developing nations.
Initial founders of AVRI- Dana Savorelli, Chris Harper, and Roy Malleappah on their first fact finding mission to Sri Lanka as the USA Snakebite Research Team. They first met at the Biology of the Rattlesnakes symposium, sponsored by Loma Linda University, in Loma Linda, California, January of 2005.
The island nation of Sri Lanka, with one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates due to snakebite, has been chosen as AVRI’s starting point. At present, the antivenoms used in Sri Lanka are manufactured in India and have been developed using Indian snake species. Although India shares many of the same snake species as Sri Lanka, the antivenoms do not work effectively due to the complexity and regional variability of venoms, and the poor quality of the products. As a result, voluminous doses of antivenom are needed to treat patients, causing adverse reactions in up to 80% of cases and increasing the costs of therapy.
AVRI emphasizes animal conservation principles in program planning to minimize human/animal conflicts and prevent ecological imbalances. The underserved populations afflicted by animal envenomation need someone to champion their cause and AVRI is the organization that can serve as their advocate.
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