After a natural disaster, snakes may have been forced from their natural habitats and move into areas where they would not normally be seen or expected. Reginald g alex, professor, department of emergency medicine, christian medical college, vellore ramya i, professor, department of medicine, christian medical college, vellore. This study retrospectively analyzed the demographic and epidemiologic characteristics of 40 patients who presented due to snake bites. Though 42 snake species in the united states can inflict a poisonous bite, management is the same for 99% of bites because 99% of bites are inflicted by pit vipers. Anxious people may hyperventilate so that they develop pinsandneedles sensation in the extremities, spasm of their hands and feet, and dizziness. Their bites can cause severe injuries and sometimes death. A recent study estimates at least 421,000 venomous bites and 20,000 deaths occur worldwide each year. In burma, russells viper bite is a common cause of acute kidney injury and is responsible for most of the estimated snake bite deaths each year. Categorize the snake bite by the snake severity score figure 2 as minimal, moderate, or severe and follow the crofab algorithm figure 3. Incidence of snake bite in india there is a huge gap between the number of snakebite deaths reported from direct survey and official data.
Snake bite or suspected snake bite is a rare but dangerous condition. Safely and rapidly transport the victim to an emergency medical. If the snake was venomous, the person will be given antivenom treatment. The diagnosis and treatment of venomous snake bites is sometimes difficult for clinicians because sufficient information. Usually, after a bite from a venomous snake, there is severe burning pain at the site within 15 to 30 minutes. This study focuses on the pattern of poisonous snake bites and their management in southern taiwan over a 5year period. Although many bites involve non poisonous snakes, numerous cases of bites due to poisonous snakes occur in tennessee each year. More than 95% of poisonous snake bites are caused by rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths, known as pit vipers or crotalidae. The developed systems finds application in wild life studies, analysis of snake bites and in management. Guidelines for the prevention and clinical management of. Dry bites will be painful and may cause swelling and redness around the area of the snake bite. This is given through a thin tube into a vein, called a drip. I have had many bites since i first started handling snakes at the age of 7.
Most snake species are nonvenomous, have no fangs, and belong to the colubrid family. Elapidae cobra, king cobra, krait, and coral snake. Identify or be able to describe the snake, but only if it can be done without significant risk for a second bite or a second victim. In the case of a non venomous snakebite, small puncture wounds are seen arranged in an arc. Antivenoms are made by immunizing a horse or sheep with the venom of a particular snake, then processing. Administer the first portion of the antivenin slowly over 10 minutes. Venomous bites from nonvenomous snakes sciencedirect. Difference between poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes. Pdf management of poisonous snake bites in southern taiwan. Snakes that are poisonous voluntarily emit venom when they bite. The following image will just clear out all doubts as to how you are going to quickly find out if the snake is venomous.
First aid treatment for snake bites snake bite protocol. This animation is strictly made in accordance to snake bite treatment guidelines and protocols please subscribe, like and share. Prompt treatment may help promote recovery by minimizing symptoms. Bites frombackfangedcolubrids areusually harmlessto man, butwithsomespecies, suchastheafricanboomslang,dispholidustypus,seriousandeven fatal poisoning has occurred in snake handlers. T tell the doctor of any systemic symptoms that manifest on the way. Snake bites management and treatment cleveland clinic. It is best to treat all snake bites as a medical emergency unless one is certain the bite came from a nonvenomous snake. The recommended first aid for any snake bite would be the globally applicable, who recommended use of immobilization of the bitten limb and patient. Poison is a toxin that kills or injures the bodys tissues and organs through its chemical actions. Venomous snakes found in the continental united states include rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouthswater moccasins and coral snakes. Identification of venomous snakes can be made from venom present on clothing or the skin using a venom detection kit. Rattlesnakes depending on your position on various zoological quibbles around what constitutes a true rattlesnake, 14 of the 21 currently accepted venomous snakes in the us are rattlers 3. The incidence of snake bite mortality is particularly high in southeast asia.
Aug 28, 2008 snake bite is a wellknown occupational hazard amongst farmers, plantation workers, and other outdoor workers and results in much morbidity and mortality throughout the world. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animals fangs. When you return to your home, be cautious of snakes that may have sought shelter in your home. Only about 15% worldwide and 20% in the united states are venomous. This occupational hazard is no more an issue restricted to a particular part of the world. May 10, 2018 snake bites treatment should be handled immediately with great care. This publication aims to pass on a digest of available.
A high incidence of snake bite envenomation has been reported from marathwada, maharashtra. Bolla, in neurology and clinical neuroscience, 2007. Thanks to prompt medical attention, only about five per year are fatal. Obviously, when you get bitten by a snake, you are going to want to call emergency services andor go straight to a hospital. Others may develop vasovagal shock after the bite or suspected bite. The percentage of dry bites ranges from 1080% for various poisonous snakes. In north america, these include the rattlesnake, coral snake, water moccasin and copperhead. Since 1976, we have been studying the clinical effects, management, and prevention of envenoming by the big four cobra, krait, russells viper, and echis carinatus in rural maharashtra, india. Management of snakebite and research recommendations by the participants. Snakebite snake bite symptoms and first aid treatment. The recommendations for management of medically significant colubrid bites are classified under general and specific. An estimated 7,000 to 8,000 venomous snake bites occur annually in the u.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Prevent or respond to snake bitenatural disasters and severe. Typical symptoms of the bite from a nonvenomous snake are pain and scratches at the site. Knowing the size, color and shape of the snake can help determine the best treatment for a particular bite. Snakes can continue to bite and inject venom with successive bites until they run out of venom. If a venomous snake bites you, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately, especially if the bitten area changes color, begins to swell or is painful. With coral snake bites, there may be little evidence of local reaction at the bite site. This results from an understandable fear of the consequences of a real venomous bite. It has been estimated that 7,0008,000 people per year receive venomous bites in the united states, and about 5. Flow chart of snakebite management in children from the foundation for.
Guidelines for the management of snakebites world health. Guideline snake bite who 2016 perhimpunan dokter ahli. If the snake is still attached use a stick or tool to make it let go. Snake bites are wellknown medical emergencies in many parts of the world, especially in rural areas. And even after most venomous snake bites the risk of death is not immediate. Management of poisonous snakebites chris cribari, md, facs clinical evaluation of the snakebite victim 1. There are no quality studies to guide the management of north american coral snake bites. If a person has been bitten by a poisonous snake, antivenin may be used to counteract the toxins.
Inspect the area of the biteinspect the area of the bite, looking for fang marks, which may appear to be a small abrasion or laceration. Cover the bite with a clean, loosefitting, dry bandage. The united states has about 20 species of venomous snakes, which include 16 species of rattlesnakes, two species of coral snakes, one species of cottonmouth or water moccasin, and one species of copperhead. Venomous snake survey in collaboration with ministry of forestry, agriculture. Below we will discuss some of the best ways to treat a snake bite effectively. With early diagnosis and proper management, including administration of the appropriate dose of antisnake venom asv and adjuvant treatment with neostigmine, atropine, and ventilation, we have. Have a basic understanding of snake biology and ecology, and know the importance and implications of temperature as it effects snakes. For this reason, do not wash or suck the bite or discard clothing. Therefore, each snakebite should be handled as a medical emergency until it has been determined that the snake is non poisonous, or that. However, to be extra safe, ensure that you treat the bite as a venomous bite. A tetanus shot may be given, depending on the date of the.
Nostril pits respond to the heat emission of the prey, which may enable the snake to vary the amount of venom delivered. Management of snake bite in india shibendu ghosh1, prabuddha mukhopadhyay2, tanmoy chatterjee 3 1associate professor, department of medicine, rims, raipur, chattisgarh. Poisonous snakes include vipers, rattlesnakes, cobras, kraits, mambas, and the american coral snake. The objective of this retrospective study is to provide contribution for management of the poisonous snake bites by comparison results.
A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A snake will bite for food or fear and there is no other reason that a snake will bite. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading venomous bites from. A pair of puncture marks on the wound, that look like a fang bite, redness and swelling around the bite site, severe pain in the area of the bite, nausea and vomiting, labored breathing or in extreme cases the breathing can stop altogether, disrupted vision, augmented sweating and. Because you cant tell if a snakes bite is a dry bite, always assume that you have been injected with venom, and manage the bite as a medical emergency. At least one species of venomous snake is found in every state except hawaii and alaska it has been estimated that 7,0008,000 people per year receive venomous snake.
Patient may be in state of shock with feeble pulse, hypotension, syncope, rapid and shallow breathing. The guidelines for the prevention and clinical management of snakebite in africa have been developped by the world health organization regional office of africa with contributions from technical experts. Snake bite david a warrell snake bite is a common and frequently devastating environmental and occupational disease, especially in rural areas of tropical developing countries. If no adverse effects occur, continue administration so that the initial 46 vials are administered over 1 hour.
Symptoms of a snakebite may not begin until the body goes into shock. Agricultural workers and children are the most affected. We also cover treatment and first aid for snake bites. A snake may strike defensively when startled or provoked. Snakes bite either to capture prey or in selfdefense.
Maximum viper and cobra bites occur during the day or early darkness, while watering the plantation or walking bare foot in grown grass or soybean crops. Immediately move away from the area where the bite occurred. Factors not contributing to outcome are size of the snake and time of bite daynight 2. On the basis of million death study, nonfatal bites may be as high as 1. An estimated 7,000 to 8,000 venomous snake bites occur annually in the. List of fatal snake bites in the united states wikipedia. First aid and prehospital management of venomous snakebites. Snake bites are lifethreatening injuries that can require intensive care. Commonly the indian cobra najanaja, common krait bungaruscaeruleus. A venomous poisonous snake bite is a bite or a puncture wound made by a snake that is capable of injecting, secreting, or spitting venom into the penetrated skin wound, mucus membranes or the eyes where the toxin can be absorbed. Sedating analgesics should be avoided as they have the potential to exacerbating respiratory depression and depressed mental status.
The three families of venomous frontfanged snakes are the elapids, vipers, andsea snakes. Only 3 types of snake are found in the wild in the uk. Common krait kalach or kalachiti or siorchanda or ghamchata or domnachiti are. Therefore, each snakebite should be handled as a medical emergency until it has been determined that the snake is nonpoisonous, or that envenomation has not occurred. Males are bitten almost twice as often as females, with the majority of the bites being on the lower extremities. If a venomous snake bites you, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. While most bites occur in desert areas of the southwestern united states and mexico, snake bites occur throughout north america as poisonous snakes are either indigenous or kept as exotic pets. Many snake bites are caused by non venomous snakes. Since it is very difficult to distinguish if the bite is from a poisonous snake or not, immediate first aid should always be applied to all snake bites. Recently, a study of snake bite mortality in india, based on verbal autopsy, estimated 46,000 deaths each year. The emergency care clinical network has updated this statewide guidance on managing snake bite envenomation or suspected snake bite. Aug 30, 2015 this slide describes snakebite in zimbabwe with an emphasis on the important venomous snake families, and the clinical presentation of patients bitten by zimbabwean venomous snakes. Some common symptoms of a venomous snake bite that tell you if a snake bite is poisonous include.
The signs and symptoms of snake bite vary depending on the snake that bites. Inspect the area of the biteinspect the area of the bite, looking for fang marks, which may. The recommendations for field treatment of venomous snakebites will be discussed. First aid treatment for poisonous snake bite protocol includes using a clean gauze or cloth apply pressure on the wound until bleeding stops. In australia, there are about 2 deaths a year from venomous snake bites.
Forhad uddin hasan chowdhury maruf assistant registrar medicine dhaka medical college hospital 2. The doctor also looks for evidence of fang marks or local trauma in the area of the bite. Venom dosage per bite depends on the elapsed time since the last bite, the degree of threat perceived by the snake, and size of the prey. This study analysed the pattern of snake bites and their management in a rural area of india over a 10. This publication aims to pass on a digest of available knowledge about all clinical aspects of snake bite to medically trained personnel.
Snakebite first aid vanderbilt university medical center. Management of snakebite full background document ver. If you were bitten by a poisonous snake you will be treated with a medicine to fight the poison. A dry bite is when the snake strikes but no venom is released. In the usa, there are about 45,000 bites and a few deaths each year. Management of venomous snake bites in north america. A snake can still bite for several hours after dying. Types of snake bites and dos and donts to treat bites are included. Depending on the type of snake, signs and symptoms of a bite may include.
Rational use of snake antivenom can substantially reduce mortality and morbidity due to snake bites. The scalability and realtime implementation of the classifier is analyzed through gpu enabled parallel computing environment. Apr 01, 2015 the diagnosis and treatment of venomous snake bites is sometimes difficult for clinicians because sufficient information has not been provided in clinical practice. In india, more than 200 species of snakes have been identified but only 52 are poisonous. The main goal is to administer the correct antivenom as soon as possible. At the hospital, treatment will depend on the type of snake. Management of venomous snake bites in north america emdocs. I am confident that these revised guidelines will help member states to improve the management of snakebites in the peripheral health services and thereby reduce the morbidity and mortality due to snakebites. The diagnosis and treatment of venomous snake bites is. The proper study of snake bite toxinology requires an understanding of snake zoology. Dec 14, 2018 in this article, we discuss snake bite symptoms and explain how to identify venomous and nonvenomous snakes in the u. Snakes will bite for only two reasons and it does not matter if it is the most deadly snake or the most harmless snake.
Emergency treatment of a snake bite journal of emergencies. Snake bites treatment should be handled immediately and with great care. Assess abcs abcs and initiate appropriate resuscitation efforts. Worldwide, there are about 20,000 to 100,000 snakebite deaths per year. Management of snake bite national guideline 2014 dr. Although rare, some workers with a severe envenomation or allergy to snake venom may be at risk of death if bitten. Generally, the presence of two puncture wounds indicates a bite by a poisonous snake. Snake venom neurotoxins block or excite peripheral. About 7,0008,000 people get venomous snake bites in the u. Introduction snake bite is an important public health hazard in bangladesh estimated an annual incidence of 623100,000 6,041 deaths annually. Information on how to prevent or respond to a snake bite.
The objective of this retrospective study is to provide contribution for management of the poisonous snake bites by comparison results of this study with the literature data. Diagnosis of snakebite is made based on the history of the event. The adder is the only poisonous snake, but you should get all snake bites checked as soon as possible. There were 510 snake bite enquiries to the uk national poisons information service npis from 2004 to 2010. This may result in redness, swelling, and severe pain at the area, which may take up to an hour to appear. However, unlike a predatory strike when hunting, the snake may not release as much or any venom when startled, decreasing risk of serious injury. Identification or description of the snake can be helpful in developing a treatment plan, as not all snakes are venomous, and different kinds of antivenom exist for different species of snakes that are venomous. Be able to apply effective first aid for snakebite, and understand the medical management of snakebite. They are meant to assist health workers to improve medical care for snakebite victims. Burning, bursting or throbbing pain may develop immediately after the bite and spread proximally up the bitten limb. First aid instructions stressing rapid transit to a hospital apply to all bites. Management of venomous snake bite linkedin slideshare. In north america, there are about 25 species of snakes able to secrete venom.
Usually after a bite from a poisonous snake there is severe burning pain at the site within 15 to 30 minutes. Although total number of bites may be more than 56 lakhs but only 30% are venomous bites. Use a makeshift stretcher to carry the person to a place where transport is available to take them to a. Understanding the medical implications of coming into contact with venomous or other snakes. Due to indiscriminate killing of snakes, including helpful snakes like rat snakes darash, branded kraits sankhamuti etc. A venomous snake can inject venom into subcutaneous tissues. Read on for an indepth breakdown of common venomous snakes in the us, how to spot them, how to avoid them and how to deal with bite symptoms. If you know the snake is not venomous, treat as a puncture wound. Its public health importance has been largely ignored by medical science. Sea snake victims need to be moved to dry land to avoid drowning.
Pdf snake bites are lifethreatening injuries that can require intensive care. Mamushi bites were diagnosed based on witnessing a mamushi andor the appearance of wounds resulting from a bite and clinical symptoms, as the there are only two species of poisonous snake. This can progress to swelling and bruising at the wound and all the way up the arm or leg. Jul 23, 2015 in the usa there are about 4 deaths per year from snake bites, although reporting is sporadic and figures may be higher for deaths from snake bite. A critical analysis of risk and management of colubrid snake bites elsevier insights kindle edition by weinstein, scott a, warrell, david a. Training of personnel midwives, lady health visitors snake survey. Jun 27, 2018 fangs can grow to 20 mm in large rattlesnakes.