[Adder bites in Turku region in 2000 to 2010]

Adder bites cause dozens of hospital visits and complications in Finland each year Some of the patients also suffer from troublesome late symptoms. We established the number of adder bites, use of antivenin, and degree of severity of the bites in child and adult patients treated at TYKS in 2000 to 2010. Antivenin was given to 9.6% of the bitten adults and 17.3% of the children. The number of adder bites was highest in July. Accidental stepping on an adder or hitting an adder-inhabited tussock with the berry picker's hand were the most common cases. Severe cases were rare.