MEDI7305 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Prednisolone, Hematuria, Creatinine
M2a - Snakebite and Envenomation in Rural Setting
Learning objectives
Treat all snakebites as potentially venomous (as it is difficult to tell if snakes are venomous or not from their
appearance)
In the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with unexplained collapse, convulsions, progressive
flaccid paralysis, myolysis, coagulopathy or renal damage - think snakebite
Annual incidence of snakebites in AUS
Pre-hospital care - method and importance of pressure bandage immobilisation
Rural hospital care of suspected envenomation
History
Examination
Locally available investigations (urine, point-of-care testing, whole blood clotting test, snake venom
detection kit)
Snake anti-venom production and indications for use
Post-discharge care
Australian venomous snakes
Epidemiology 172 species of Aus snakes
140 land snakes + 32 sea snakes
100 of these species are venomous
12 of these species can potentially kill humans
Yearly statistics
~3000 humans receive snakebites
~300 humans receive snake anti-venom
~3 human deaths due to snakebite
Most deaths are due to brown snake bite
Venomous
snakes
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Document Summary
M2a - snakebite and envenomation in rural setting. Treat all snakebites as potentially venomous (as it is difficult to tell if snakes are venomous or not from their appearance) In the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with unexplained collapse, convulsions, progressive flaccid paralysis, myolysis, coagulopathy or renal damage - think snakebite. Pre-hospital care - method and importance of pressure bandage immobilisation. Locally available investigations (urine, point-of-care testing, whole blood clotting test, snake venom detection kit) Snake anti-venom production and indications for use. 12 of these species can potentially kill humans. Most deaths are due to brown snake bite. Venomous snakes eat small, fast animals (rats, mice, small mammals, birds, frogs, lizards, other snakes) Attack and immobilise their prey quickly via striking suddenly and injecting venom (once vs multiple times) Prey will quickly collapsed, become paralysed and bleed to death. Some venomous snakes cannot envenomate humans, but instead kill by constriction or consummation.
