This study aimed to determine the efficacy of Inoserp, Vins bioproducts, and South African Institute of Medical Research (SAIMR) polyvalent antivenoms in neutralizing Naja ashei venom-induced ...lethality in mice. The neutralization efficacy of the antivenoms were expressed as effective dose, median effective ratio, potency, normalized potency, volume, and the number of vials of antivenom required to neutralize 100 mg of Naja ashei venom (NAV).
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•Naja ashei venom (NAV) has an i.p. LD50 of 3.02 (2.45–3.72) μg/g in mice.•Vins bioproducts antivenom has poor efficacy against NAV-induced lethality.•Inoserp and South African Institute of Medical Research polyvalent antivenoms have high potency in NAV-induced lethality.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 5.4 million snakebites and 1.8-2.7 million cases of envenomation, with 81 410-137 880 deaths each year worldwide.
To estimate the ...prevalence of neurotoxic and haemotoxic snakebite envenomation through a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.
We searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library up to January 2021 using keywords such as snakebite and snake envenomation. Bibliographic and random searches were also performed. Prospective or retrospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials were included for the review.
We included 271 of 9711 studies published between 1963 and 2020. The pooled prevalence of snakebite from 188 studies with a total of 207 235 participants showed the highest prevalence in North America (69.20%; 95% confidence interval, CI: 57.06-81.34%) and lowest in Africa (28.10%; 95% CI: 22.22-33.98%). There was a pooled prevalence of 24.94% (95% CI: 22.84-27.03%) for haemotoxicity, with a highest prevalence of coagulopathy (43.76%; 95% CI: 33.15-54.37%). The overall prevalence of neurotoxicity was 38.20% (95% CI: 31.88-44.53%), with a highest prevalence of ptosis (53.57%; 95% CI: 38.51-68.62%).
There was a higher prevalence of snakebites in North America. The most prevalent haemotoxicity and neurotoxicity were coagulopathy and ptosis, respectively. The overall quality of evidence was good with a non-significant publication bias.
Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease prevalent in South Asia. In Pakistan, antivenoms are commonly imported from India despite the controversy over their effectiveness. To solve the ...problem, the locals have developed the Pakistani Viper Antivenom (PVAV), raised against Sochurek's Saw-scaled Viper (
) and Russell's Viper (
) of Pakistani origin. This study is set to evaluate the composition purity, immuno-specificity and neutralization efficacy of PVAV. Chromatographic and electrophoretic profiling coupled with proteomic mass spectrometry analysis showed PVAV containing high-purity immunoglobulin G with minimum impurities, notably the absence of serum albumin. PVAV is highly immuno-specific toward the venoms of the two vipers and
, which are indigenous to Pakistan. Its immunoreactivity, however, reduces toward the venoms of other
subspecies and
from South India as well as Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, its non-specific binding activities for the venoms of Hump-nosed Pit Vipers, Indian Cobras and kraits were extremely low. In the neutralization study, PVAV effectively mitigated the hemotoxic and lethal effects of the Pakistani viper venoms, tested
and
. Together, the findings suggest the potential utility of PVAV as a new domestic antivenom for the treatment of viperid envenoming in Pakistan.
There are an estimated 5.4 million snakebite cases every year. People with snakebite envenoming suffer from severe complications, or even death. Although some review articles cover several topics of ...snakebite envenoming, a review of the cases regarding cerebral complications, especially rare syndromes, is lacking. Here, we overview 35 cases of snakebite by front-fanged snakes, including Bothrops, Daboia, Cerastes, Deinagkistrodon, Trimeresurus, and Crotalus in the Viperidae family; Bungarus and Naja in the Elapidae family, and Homoroselaps (rare cases) in the Lamprophiidae family. We also review three rare cases of snakebite by rear-fanged snakes, including Oxybelis and Leptodeira in the Colubridae family. In the cases of viper bites, most patients (17/24) were diagnosed with ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage, leading to six deaths. We then discuss the potential underlying molecular mechanisms that cause these complications. In cases of elapid bites, neural, cardiac, and ophthalmic disorders are the main complications. Due to the small amount of venom injection and the inability to deep bite, all the rear-fanged snakebites did not develop any severe complications. To date, antivenom (AV) is the most effective therapy for snakebite envenoming. In the six cases of viper and elapid bites that did not receive AV, three cases (two by viper and one by elapid) resulted in death. This indicates that AV treatment is the key to survival after a venomous snakebite. Lastly, we also discuss several studies of therapeutic agents against snakebite-envenoming-induced complications, which could be potential adjuvants along with AV treatment. This article organizes the diagnosis of hemotoxic and neurotoxic envenoming, which may help ER doctors determine the treatment for unidentified snakebite.
During a snake bite, the microbes may get transferred to the bite site and may cause secondary infection along with envenomation. The knowledge on the oral bacterial flora of snakes constitutes ...information important for snake bite management. The inadequately studied oral microflora of snakes differ geographically, temporally and among the members of the same species. The objective of this study is to determine the pattern of oral bacterial flora of Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Oral swabs were collected from nine healthy Saw-scaled vipers, subjected to microbiological, biochemical and molecular characterization. Additionally, these isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using ICOSA-20-Plus and ICOSA-20-Minus. A wide range of pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella arizonae, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Proteus penneri, Alcaligenes faecalis; Citrobacter diversus, C. freundii, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcus sciuri and Achromobacter xylosoxidans were isolated as new additions to the floral diversity of saw scale viper. Most of the isolates were sensitive towards amikacin, azithromycin, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, tobramycin, levofloxacin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol while resistant to amoxyclav, cephalothin, cefpodoxime, Co-Trimoxazole, oxacillin and penicillin. The present study revealed that the bacterial flora of the oral cavity of Saw-scaled viper is resistant to many common antibiotics, which are often used for the treatment of snake-bite victims.
•Oral cavity of Echis carinatus harbours diverse pathogenic bacteria.•Majority of isolates were sensitive to penicilin, Amoxyclav, cefpodoxime ampicillin and methicillin.•Azithromycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, etc are most sensitive antibiotics.
A
BSTRACT
Background:
Snakebite envenoming, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is an important public health problem that is responsible for more than 1 lakh deaths annually across the world. ...However, the majority of the data in this regard is from health institutions and data from community settings are scarce. The aim of the current study was to develop valid and reliable qualitative tools for assessing the burden of snakebites and the health-seeking behavior of the community. The tools developed thus will serve in creating a community connection and thereby strengthen primary care teams engaged in managing snakebites at the primary care level.
Methods:
A four-step design was used; (a) review of the available literature on the burden of disease, tools used to assess the burden, and the guidelines on snakebite (b) development, laying out, and contextualization of questions/items for the tools (c) pilot testing and establishment of validity.
Results:
A focus group discussion guide, key informant interview schedule for health professionals, community leaders, and traditional faith healers were matured for the implementation.
Conclusion:
A reliable and valid qualitative tool was developed to discern the speculations related to snakebites and its management in rural field settings.
This case report documents envenomation by an arboreal white-lipped green pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris), a species found in South and Southeast Asia that causes the majority of venomous ...snakebites among Southeast Asian pit vipers. Clinical features vary from asymptomatic to serious coagulopathy that may progress into life-threatening or fatal hemorrhage. The proven life-threatening cases described in published literature, however, are sparse. Practically, no specific antivenom targeted to pit viper bites is available in Nepal. We report a case (managed with several non-evidence-based interventions) of noticeable coagulopathic envenomation due to confirmed T albolabris bite in Nepal. This is the first known reported case of such a bite in Nepal. This case highlights the urgent need to improve diagnosis, monitoring, and supportive care for bite victims and to study the effectiveness of Thai pit viper antivenoms for the treatment of T albolabris envenomations.
Epidemiology of snakebites in Colombia (2008-2016) León-Núñez, Leonardo J; Camero-Ramos, Gabriel; Gutiérrez, José M
Revista de salud pública (Bogotá, Colombia),
05/2020, Letnik:
22, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
To describe the main epidemiological features of snakebites in Colombia during the period 2008 to 2016.
A retrospective (quantitative) descriptive analytical empirical study was carried out, based on ...the official databases of the Public Health Surveillance in the Integral Information System of the Social Protection (SISPRO) and the Surveillance System in Public Health (Sivigila) of the reported cases of snakebites in Colombia for that period.
In total, 37 066 cases were reported, with annual incidences ranging from 7.0 (2008) to 9.7 (2011 and 2012) cases per 100,000 population. Mortality rates ranged from 0.059 (2013) to 0.091 (2011) deaths per 100 000 population, with case fatality rates ranging from 0.6% (2013) to 1.0% (2010). Indigenous and Afro-Colombian populations were highly affected, and highest incidences occurred in males, and in people living in rural areas. The average age of affected people is 31.7 years (95% CI 28.3 34.5). The regions with higher incidence are Amazonia and Orinoquia. Species of the genus Bothrops are responsible for the highest number of bites (64.5%), owing to their wide distribution in Colombia. Regarding clinical manifestations, pain and edema were observed in 86.9% and 78.8% of patients, respectively. Cellulitis and abscesses were the most frequent local complications of these envenomings.
Results underscore the relevance of snakebite envenoming in Colombia, and provide information for improving the public health attention to these envenoming.