Snake bites in Moyen Chari district, Chad: a five-year experience

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Field Postmortem Rabies Rapid Immunochromatographic Diagnostic Test for Resource-Limited Settings with Further Molecular Applications
07:40

Field Postmortem Rabies Rapid Immunochromatographic Diagnostic Test for Resource-Limited Settings with Further Molecular Applications

Published on: June 29, 2020

Enrico Rino Bregani1, Tommaso Maraffi, Tu Van Tien

  • 1Emergency Medicine Division, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Policlinico, Milan, Italy. rino_bregani@yahoo.it

Tropical Doctor
|February 10, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Snake bites pose a significant public health threat in Africa, with Echis ocellatus being a primary cause. Antivenom immunotherapy is crucial for treating envenomation, though outcomes varied with different sera.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Research
  • Public Health
  • Tropical Medicine

Background:

  • Snake bites represent a critical public health issue in Africa, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality.
  • Echis ocellatus is identified as the predominant species responsible for envenomation cases across West Africa.
  • Antivenom immunotherapy remains the sole specific treatment for patients suffering from snake envenomation.

Observation:

  • A survey at Goundi Hospital, Chad, from 1997-2001 included 325 snake bite patients.
  • Analysis focused on envenomation rates, demographics, seasonality, lethality, hospital stay, and clotting time recovery.
  • Young males constituted the most frequently affected demographic group.

Findings:

  • Out of 325 patients, 298 showed signs of envenomation and received antivenom treatment.
  • The overall lethality rate was recorded at 8%.
  • Significant differences in lethality and hospital stay duration were observed among patients treated with different antivenom sera.

Implications:

  • Findings align with data from other sub-Saharan countries regarding snake bite epidemiology.
  • A higher percentage of snake bite victims were admitted to the hospital in this series compared to other regions.
  • The study highlights the need for effective antivenom strategies and improved hospital admission protocols for snake bite management.

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