Snakebite accounts.

[Elapidae1]

I'm hoping someone or hopefully a few people will be able to point me in the direction of some literature on snakebite.
Specifically accounts of bites from highly venomous Australian Elapids or where bites from so called less venomous snakes have caused potentially life threatening symptoms. Also I would like the accounts to arise from circumstances where medical care was unavailable or took a long time getting there, or even where care provided was blatantly inadequate resulting in prolonged systemic effects.
I know that professionals in particular generaly don't advertise the fact they have recieved bites, but I'm hoping there is a few that have shared the story

As an example of what I'm after there is story of somebody being tagged by Pseudechis australis in the WA bush, being far from help and without communication this person applied a pressure bandage and found some shade where he spent a couple of days riding out the effects of the bite before walking out under his own steam. If there is factual stories like this out there I want to read both victim and witnessing accounts and break down of symptons.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mmafan555]

I'm hoping someone or hopefully a few people will be able to point me in the direction of some literature on snakebite.
Specifically accounts of bites from highly venomous Australian Elapids or where bites from so called less venomous snakes have caused potentially life threatening symptoms. Also I would like the accounts to arise from circumstances where medical care was unavailable or took a long time getting there, or even where care provided was blatantly inadequate resulting in prolonged systemic effects.
I know that professionals in particular generaly don't advertise the fact they have recieved bites, but I'm hoping there is a few that have shared the story

As an example of what I'm after there is story of somebody being tagged by Pseudechis australis in the WA bush, being far from help and without communication this person applied a pressure bandage and found some shade where he spent a couple of days riding out the effects of the bite before walking out under his own steam. If there is factual stories like this out there I want to read both victim and witnessing accounts and break down of symptons.

Cheers
Steve

I can post and give you some studies on snakebites if you want...Or are you looking for more individual cases.

 

[Elapidae1]

Yeah individual cases thanks

 

[mmafan555]

Opps sorry...I posted a big study...Didn't know that you only wanted individual cases.

​

Well just in case anyone is interested I will post some general studies on Taipan bites from Papua New Guinea.

Snakebite mortality at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, 1992–2001

Here is a study from Port Moresby of 600 Taipan bites 78 Death Adder bites and 44 bites by snakes that couldn't be determined...Only a small percentage of people received antivenom and those that did receive got it many hours after the bite...Hence the severity of the symptoms( 82.5% of bite victims went into respiratory failure and needed a breathing machine) and the study in general. The antivenom only appears to be effective for the paralysis if given quickly.

eMJA: Snakebite mortality at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, 1992–2001







And here is the 2nd study...this time all were Taipan bites and more people recieved antivenom and received it earlier.

Snake Bites by the Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni): Paralysis, Hemostatic and Electrocardiographic Abnormalities, and Effects of Antivenom

"166 patients with enzyme immunoassay-proven bites by taipans (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) were studied in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 139 (84%) showed clinical evidence of envenoming: local signs were trivial, but most developed hemostatic disorders and neurotoxicity. The blood of 77%(107) of the patients was incoagulable and 35%(48) bled spontaneously, usually from the gums. 51%(71) had microscopic hematuria. Neurotoxic signs (ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, bulbar paralysis, and peripheral muscular weakness) developed in 85%(117). Endotracheal intubation was required in 42%(58) and mechanical ventilation in 37%(51). Electrocardiographic abnormalities (sinus bradycardia and septal T wave inversion) were found in 52% of a group of 69 unselected patients.Specific antivenom raised against Australian taipan venom was effective in stopping spontaneous systemic bleeding and restoring blood coagulability but, in most cases, it neither reversed nor prevented the evolution of paralysis even when given within a few hours of the bite. However, early antivenom treatment was associated statistically with decreased incidence and severity of neurotoxic signs. The low case fatality rate of 4.3%(6) is attributable mainly to the use of mechanical ventilation, a technique rarely available in Papua New Guinea. Earlier use of increased doses of antivenoms of improved specificity might prove more effective.


The longer the delay between bite and antivenom treatment the greater the risk and severity of neurotoxicity. This suggests that antivenom does have an effect if given soon enough, but once the toxin has bound to the end plate, antivenom may no longer be effective. A poor response to antivenom treatment is a feature of poisoning by a number of venoms containing presynaptically active toxins. Intubation was necessary in only 13.3% of patients treated within 4 hours of the bite compared with 63% of those treated later. [Refer to page 528 left column for info] Of the 104 patients with incoaguable blood, the antivenom was effective in restoring coagulability." 128(92.1) patients were treated with antivenom."


http://www.hotkeepers.com/aho/pdf/menu6/png/lalloo1995a.pdf



So the antivenom is very good at stopping the hemotoxic aspects of the taipans venom...For the neurotoxic aspect...it depends on when you get the antivenom. If you get it quickly it will likely reverse the paralysis. If you don't get it quickly you will most likely need to be put on a ventillator.

 

[Naga_Kanya]

You didn't mention what you need them for, so I'll recommend a book called "The Snakebite Survivors' Club: Travels Among Serpents" by Jeremy Seal. If you're looking for more scientific results it may not be what you're after, but it's an interesting read.