RE: Snake venom preparation for drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus.

To the Editor:

Recently the usefulness of snake venom preparation in the treatment of drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus was demonstrated in clinical practice for the first time by Alrajhi and Almohaizeie.1 This represents an emerging concept in the era of anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The authors have reported that snake venom might have enhanced the activity of ART or independently through some of its components. With reference to mechanisms of action, other components of snake venom such as the sequence homology between venom and HIV-1 gp 1202 and protease3 might also have contributed to the enhanced activity of ART at different levels.