Snake Bites
The number one thing you can do to reduce conflict with venomous snakes is to learn about the wildlife that live alongside you and treat them with respect - David Steen
image by: Australian Conservation Foundation
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The Snakebite Problem
Globally the greatest burden is experienced in the tropical world; where many nations remain under developed or suffer from poor governance, political and/or social, conflict, resource scarcity, high disease burdens, or food insecurity...
The reality too, is that the tragedy of snakebite is not all about large numbers of victims. A snakebite is a terrifying experience at an individual level, perhaps more so for young children, who are often over-represented in snakebite numbers, and may not be old enough to comprehend what has occurred or understand the cause of their distress or suffering. While a painful death is how Hollywood typically protrays snakebites in film, the reality…
Resources
Finally, snakebite is getting more attention as a tropical health issue
The WHO added snakebite envenoming to its list of neglected tropical diseases in 2009, but removed it in 2013 without any explanation. In 2017 the organisation reinstated snakebite – not because the threat itself had changed but because of campaigning by antivenom producers, researchers, and health-care providers.
Snakebites Kill Tens of Thousands of People Each Year — But They Really Don't Have To
A popular anti-venom will run out by June 2016, endangering many more lives. Yet experts say that all the technology to effectively treat snakebites is in place, it all just comes down to economics.
Emergency treatment of a snake bite: Pearls from literature
Snake bite is a well-known occupational hazard amongst farmers, plantation workers, and other outdoor workers and results in much morbidity and mortality throughout the world. This occupational hazard is no more an issue restricted to a particular part of the world; it has become a global issue.
Good Snakes vs. Bad Snakes
The number one thing you can do to reduce conflict with venomous snakes is to learn about the wildlife that live alongside you and treat them with respect,” says Steen. “That means watching your step and your hands while recognizing and not harassing potentially dangerous snakes.”
How to Save People From Snakebites
The desperate search for better antidotes that can work against many types of venom.
Snakebites are rarer than you think, but CPR can save your life
Despite the common belief that Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world, our new research shows being bitten by a snake is uncommon in Australia and dying from a snakebite is very rare.
Snakebites Hit Record Highs in Southern States as Suburbs Expand
Rapid urbanization and heavy rains lead to more copperhead attacks.
Surviving a Viper Bite
While scouting a Costa Rican jungle for the perfect location for the new Discovery show “Naked and Afraid,” 51-year-old executive producer Steve Rankin was bitten by one of the most dangerous vipers on earth, the fer-de-lance.
The Bite That Heals
Scientists are unlocking the medical potential of venom.
The Healing Power of Venom
Scientists are turning toxins from scorpions, snakes and spiders into treatments for diseases including diabetes and cancer.
The Quest to Modernize Snakebite Medicine
Snakebites kill more than 100,000 people a year world-wide, but the problem has been largely ignored. Now, scientists are working on new ways to help victims.
The best remedy for a snakebite: carry car keys
What if, despite all your precautions, you still suffer a snakebite? You may have heard about first aid practices such as applying cold compresses or electric shocks, cutting and sucking out venom by mouth or with a store-bought extractor, wrapping a tourniquet, or even making a poultice from the snake’s head. Here’s the thing—none of these remedies work, and they often cause more damage. “There’s only one viable treatment currently, and that is going to a hospital and getting antivenom,” Hayes says.
There’s a Perfectly Good Reason to Mass-Produce Snake Venom
Lab-grown glands can now produce realistic cocktails of toxins, which could help address one of the world’s biggest and most neglected health crises.
‘Like Uber for snake emergencies’: tech takes the sting out of bites in rural India
Venomous snakebites cause tens of thousands of deaths each year. But homegrown apps are coming to the rescue – and protecting reptiles from reprisals.
A New Solution For Snakebites
Snakebites are common, but anti-venom can be hard to get. One doctor is trying a new solution, with help from a former rock star.
Big strides are being made in the push for affordable, effective antivenoms
For city dwellers, especially those in the developed world, the idea of being bitten by a venomous snake seems outlandish. But it is a daily and very real risk for millions around the world – and that includes many people living in African countries.
Congo’s hidden crisis: Snakebites and envenomation
Tropical climates are home to the world’s most venomous snakes, meaning that it is often the most economically isolated and physically remote communities that are at risk of bites.
Deadly Dilemma: Do Snake-Bite Kits Help?
Doctors say the kits are, for the most part, based on outmoded ideas. The best thing to do is call 911 or get the patient to a hospital as soon as possible, says Lori Weichenthal, a wilderness-medicine expert at the University of California-San Francisco in Fresno. If possible, Dr. Weichenthal adds, immobilize the bitten limb and keep it below the level of the heart -- but more important, get to help fast.
How the science of snake bite treatments has changed
Gone are the days when we were told to suck out a snake’s venom. So what’s the current treatment and how have treatments changed over time?
Many antidotes to snake venom do not work as well as they might
Venom varies from place to place. Antivenoms must take account of this
Snakebites are on the rise as snakes migrate with climate change
As the climate changes, snakes are on the move and snakebites are becoming more common. Over the last decade, and estimated 30 million people worldwide have been bitten by snakes, with nearly 5.4 million bites in the last year alone. On average, one person dies every five minutes from the bite of a venomous snake. And these worrisome numbers are underestimates, since most bites are never reported, especially in poor rural areas.
The World Health Organization is deeply worried about snake bites
Last September, in one of the last public awareness videos recorded before his death, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan called snake bites “the biggest public health crisis you have likely never heard of.” The venom from these slippery reptiles kills up to 138,000 people each year, and leaves another 400,000 people—largely from poor countries—with permanent physical or mental disabilities.
This drug could be the universal snakebite antidote the world desperately needs
Snakes, says Dr. Matt Lewin, are “like little mobile landmines”: They’re invisible, lying in wait in populated areas, killing or maiming without warning. Worldwide, tens of thousands of people die from snakebites every year. But an existing drug could change that. Lewin, an emergency medical doctor, presented findings Friday that a compound called varespladib can counteract the effects of 28 common venoms in biochemical models — making it the closest thing yet to a universal antidote.
Tiny Nanoparticles to Treat a Huge Problem: Snakebites
Snakes kill or cripple 500,000 people a year, but antivenins are costly and rare in poor countries. Now scientists are testing injectable nanoparticles that neutralize venom.
What To Do If A Snake Bites Your Dog
First off: It’s best to assume the bite is venomous. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible! Keep your pet calm and immobile, and carry them if necessary. If you can do it safely, take these extra measures prior to transporting to your vet...
When the Cobra Bites, You’ll Be Glad Someone Sequenced Its Genome
Some scientists hope genomic technologies will lead to improved antivenom.
Why Fatal Sea Snake Bites Are Unusual
Sea snakes are commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical waters of southeast Asia, the western Pacific Ocean, and northern Australia. There are 70 known species, 30 of which exist in Australian waters.
Your Risk May Be Small, But New Study Says Snakebites More Common After Rainy Season
Snakes, however, abound throughout America, often in the most unsuspecting places. Their population is undetermined, but the good news for travelers and locals who walk, hike and run on America’s footpaths is that snakebites are rare.
The Snakebite Problem
Snakebite affects the lives of around 4.5 million people worldwide every year; seriously injuring 2.7 million men, women and children, and claiming some 125,000 lives. Globally the greatest burden is experienced in the tropical world; where many nations remain under developed or suffer from poor governance, political and/or social, conflict, resource scarcity, high disease burdens, or food insecurity.
Asclepius Snakebite Foundation
We are an international team of clinicians and scientists on a mission to reverse the cycle of tragic snakebite outcomes through a combination of innovative research, clinical medicine, and education-based public health initiatives.
Global Snakebite Initiative
The Global Snakebite Initiative Limited (GSI) is a registered non-profit, charitable organisation, based in Australia, but with global membership, and established to provide a collaborative framework to address the neglected global tragedy of snakebite envenoming.
Venom Doc
Welcome to Bryan Grieg Fry's world. It is a life spent living and working with snakes. Lots of very, very poisonous snakes and other venomous creatures. Everything from the Malaysian king cobra to deadly scorpions. Bryan is passionate about venomous animals, in all their glorious shapes and sizes. When asked what it’s like to live his childhood dream of working with these animals he said “‘I am obeying the inscrutable exhortations of my inner-most soul, and my mandate also includes crocodiles’.
Australian Herpetology Online
Welcome to the UPDATED Australian Herpetology Online website hosted by Kingsnake.Com the most comprehensive Reptile & Amphibian portal on the Internet today.
eMedicineHealth
Serious venom effects can be delayed for hours. A victim who initially appears well could still become quite sick. All victims possibly bitten by a venomous snake should seek medical care without delay. The faster the patient is treated appropriately for a poisonous snakebite, the better the prognosis.
FP Notebook
Extensive management site.
Kingsnake.com
The most comprehensive Reptile & Amphibian portal on the Internet today.
MayoClinic
•Don't use a tourniquet or apply ice. •Don't cut the wound or attempt to remove the venom. •Don't drink caffeine or alcohol, which could speed the rate at which your body absorbs venom. •Don't try to capture the snake. Try to remember its color and shape so that you can describe it, which will help in your treatment.
MedicineNet
Bite severity depends on many factors, including the amount of venom injected, bite location, and a person's age and health. Seek immediate medical care if you think you've been bitten by a poisonous snake.
MedlinePlus
Venomous animals account for a large number of deaths and injuries, worldwide. Snakes alone are estimated to inflict 2.5 million venomous bites each year, resulting in about 125,000 deaths. The actual number may be much larger. Southeast Asia, India, Brazil, and areas of Africa have the most deaths due to snakebite. The right antivenom can save a person's life. Getting to an emergency room as quickly as possible is very important. If properly treated, many snake bites will not have serious effects.
MerckManuals
Of about 3000 snake species throughout the world, only about 15% worldwide and 20% in the US are dangerous to humans because of venom or toxic salivary secretions.
NHS
Some snakes are venomous and can inject venom (toxin) as they bite. A bite from a venomous snake is a medical emergency as they can be deadly if not treated quickly. In the UK, adders are the only venomous snakes found in the wild. People also keep foreign (exotic) venomous snakes, sometimes illegally. Exotic snakes have been known to bite while being handled carelessly, or when they escape from their cages.
Patient.info
Snake bites can be life-threatening injuries that can require intensive care.[1] The majority of people who are bitten by snakes in the UK, and indeed in countries where venomous snakes are more common, will have been bitten by a non-venomous snake. However, unless the identity of the snake is known with certainty, it is advisable to administer first aid with the assumption that the snake may have been venomous. Snake bites are uncommon in the UK. There is only one indigenous poisonous snake - the Vipera berus, or adder; however, other species of snakes may be found in private collections or zoos.
WHO
Envenoming following snakebite, is largely a neglected threat to public health. It affects mainly the poor in deprived rural areas where health facilities and are limited and anti-venoms may be hard to obtain. Training of health staff in the management of envenoming is often neglected, despite good evidence that it improves outcome.
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