A yellow Cape cobra. By Talker

By Stephen Beech

A revolutionary new antivenom has proven effective against snakebites from 17 of the world's deadliest serpents.

Scientists used antibodies from alpacas and llamas to create the antidote that protects against venomous African snakes, including the spitting cobra and black mamba.

Experts say the breakthrough has the potential to become a mass-produced product.

Snakebites lead to between 100,000 and 150,000 human deaths globally each year, according to the World Health Organization . (WHO).

Three times as many survive but with serious disabilities, including amputations and permanent tissue damage.

Existing antivenoms have major limitations, including that they don't cover all medically relevant snake species and that they cannot alw

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