Poul Agerholm Christensen MD (1912–1991): antivenom production at the South African Institute for Medical Research

• Published in: Toxicon Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 749 - 756
• Main Author: Hawgood, B.J
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Academies and Institutes - history; Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Antitoxins - history; Antivenins - history; Antivenins - therapeutic use; Antivenom production; Biological and medical sciences; Bitis arietans; E. Grasset; History, 20th Century; Humans; Medical sciences; Naja nivea; P.A. Christensen; Snake venom; South Africa; South African Institute for Medical Research; Toxicology; Vaccines - history; Africa; P.A. Christensen; E. Grasset; Snake venom; South African Institute for Medical Research; Antivenom production; Vertebrata; Antiserum; Antivenom; Venom; Production; Physician; Reptilia; Case history; Ophidia
• ISSN: 0041-0101; 1879-3150
• DOI: 10.1016/S0041-0101(00)00216-6

Dr Christensen arrived in Cape Town in June 1940 as ship's surgeon on a Danish cargo-liner. Denmark was under German control, and the ship came under command of the South African government for use in war operations. In October 1941, Christensen left the ship to become assistant to Dr Edmond Grasset of the South African Institute for Medical Research in Johannesburg. Later, Christensen was head of department and associate director. Grasset produced the Institute's first concentrated Bitis arietans– Naja nivea antivenom in 1932. When Grasset resigned in 1946, Christensen took over the venom research projects. He introduced changes and produced antisera of high quality. As the paraspecificity of the polyvalent antivenom was limited, Christensen increased the number of immunising antigens to allow treatment against the bite of the many species of viperid and elapid snakes in southern and equatorial Africa. Using pepsin-refined antiserum, Christensen isolated three toxic fractions from Naja nivea venom and showed how the presence of multiple toxins affected antivenom neutralisation curves and estimates of antivenom potency. A member of a WHO Expert Committee, he raised and tested for suitability, the first reference antivenom. Dr Christensen was acclaimed internationally for his expertise, and for his dedicated service to the treatment of snakebite.