Just as it sounds might, snakebite refers to injuries caused by the bite of a snake either for hunting their prey or for self-defense. There are two types of snake bites: Dry bites and Venomous bites. Dry bites occur when a snake (either venomous or non-venomous) bites without transmitting its venom and they are mostly expected from a snake that contains no venom.
Even adult venomous snake does so as they have control over their glands. Venomous bites occur when a venomous snake transmits venom during a bite and they are more dangerous, requiring solutions for the treatment resulting from its venom. However, most snake species are non-venomous.
Two puncture wounds from the animal’s fangs are a typical indication of a snake attack and the resultants can lead to minor injuries to severe injuries or even death. More than 100 distinct toxic and non-toxic proteins and peptides, as well as non-protein toxins, carbohydrates, lipids, amines, and other small molecules, can all be found in the venom of any given species (Harvey, 1991). Unless one is very certain that they are bitten by a non-venomous snake, they must take immediate medical attention because any delay could result in an unfavorable state.
How prevalent is the issue of snakebite?
Up to 95% of snake bites happen in tropical or poor nations, and data on snake bites based on hospital records in these nations are frequently inaccurate because the majority of victims prefer to be treated by a traditional healer rather than visiting a hospital.
Epidemiological investigations have shown an important fact that more than half of people bitten by potentially deadly venomous snakes survive with only minor or no toxicity. This is comforting for the physician, but it is important to remember that a snake bite in its early phases can be unpredictable. All victims should be thoroughly monitored to determine the severity of envenoming and to guarantee logical and efficient therapy.
What should you do immedietaly after a snakebite?
Systemic signs of venom infections vary. For example, viper envenoming is sometimes evident within 20 minutes, but may not appear until several hours after the bite. Systemic signs begin 15 minutes to 5 hours after bites from Asian cobras, but up to 10 hours have been recorded with Australian elapid bites. If there are no symptomatic features within 2 hours of a sea snake bite, serious poisoning can be excluded.
First and foremost, reassurance of the patient is important. First-aid and pre-hospital treatment is the first precautionary method:
- The site of the bite should be wiped but not incised because incisions can aggravate bleeding, especially in bites causing non-clotting blood, damaging nerves and tendons, introducing infection, and delaying healing.
- If evacuation to a hospital or clinic with anti-venom facilities will take over 30 minutes, an absorption-delaying compressive bandage, preferably crepe, should be applied firmly, as for a sprain, over the bite site and up the whole limb.
- The bandage should not be released during transit.
- If the snake has been killed it should be taken, without handling, to the hospital.
- During transit the body generally and the bitten limb, in particular, should be moved as little as possible, to minimize the spread of venom.
What about antivenom therapy?
Then comes the definitive treatment which is antivenom therapy. Antivenoms are made by injecting lambs or horses with a specific snake’s venom. The watery portion of their blood, known as blood serum, is then processed because it contains antibodies that can counteract the effects of the venom. Antivenoms are available to treat bites from a single type of snake (known as monospecific antivenoms) as well as bites from a variety of snakes found in a specific area. (polyspecific antivenoms).
For the antivenom to start working as soon as possible, it will either be administered as an injection or through an IV (through a needle in the arm). If used correctly, it can reverse systemic poisoning even when given hours or even days after the bite. It is therefore not only safe but highly desirable to wait for clear clinical evidence of systemic poisoning before giving antivenom.
It should not be given routinely in all cases of snake bite because it is expensive and can cause reactions, and its misuse (e.g., if given by the wrong route or in an inadequate dose) can quickly discredit antivenom therapy. A secondary and less certain application of antivenom therapy is in preventing or lessening local effects, especially local necrosis. One of these negative effects is the illness known as serum sickness, which can develop four to ten days after getting antivenom.
Other snakebitetreatment
- If a compressive bandage has been used, it needs to be removed. After cleaning, the snakebite site should not be covered up since doing so increases the risk of secondary infection and because bleeding ceases quickly after receiving appropriate antivenom treatment. Lower limbs that have bit should be elevated on pillows, while upper limbs that have bit should be resting in slings.
- Blisters should be left undisturbed to break spontaneously; they will then heal quickly providing there is no underlying necrosis.
- Pain is rarely a problem once the patient has received an injection (placebo or antivenom if indicated). For the first night, mild analgesics may be needed but morphine is never required.
- Patients with glossopharyngeal palsy in elapid or sea-snake bite poisoning should be nursed in the prone position to minimize the risk of inhaling vomit or secretions.
Conclusion
Depending on where you live, you may or may not have a hard time avoiding snakes. We should always be careful where we put our hands and feet. We must not attempt to capture, handle or keep venomous snakes. If were to come across a snake, we must slowly back away from it and avoid touching it.
The snakebite patient first needs supportive treatment and stabilization. Then, the physician must establish whether envenomation has occurred, grade it, and monitor edema around the bite. Local treatment, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and tetanus prophylaxis should be used for all envenomation grades. The decision to administer antivenin therapy should be made on clinical grounds and the envenomation grade. Its use, however, can lead to anaphylaxis and anti-complement reactions.
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Written by: Khumukcham Shynyan