HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF RENAL TISSUES FOLLOWING IMMUNIZATION WITH NAJA MELANOLEUCA AND BITIS ARIETANS VENOMS IN RABBITS

ABSTRACT Snakebite envenomation is a major but neglected tropical disease that poses serious public health challenges worldwide. This study evaluated the histopathological effects of co-exposure to Naja melanoleuca (forest cobra) and Bitis arietans (puff adder) venoms on rabbit renal tissue at two months post-immunization. Six New Zealand White rabbits were divided into two groups of three animals each: an experimental group immunized with a mixture of detoxified crude venoms, and a control group which received adjuvant-PBS only. The immunization protocol consisted of a primary injection followed by booster doses administered subcutaneously at biweekly intervals for a total period of eight weeks. At the end of the experimental period, renal tissues were harvested for histopathological examination. Microscopic assessment revealed normal renal architecture with intact glomeruli, tubules, and interstitial spaces. There was no evidence of necrosis, hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, or vascular congestion. The absence of lesions indicates that the kidney remained unaffected by the venom exposure following immunization. Both experimental and control groups displayed similar histological outcomes, suggesting that venom co-administration did not induce renal damage at the investigated time point. The findings indicate that immunization effectively protected rabbit kidneys from the histopathological damage typically associated with envenomation, as evidenced by the preservation of normal renal architecture.