Ten years of snake bite in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea

A retrospective study was conducted of possible and definite snake bite admissions to Madang General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, for the years 1977 to 1986 inclusive. There were 175 such admissions and case notes were found for 129. Envenoming was recorded in 64 cases. Tender regional lymphadenopathy and ptosis were the most common signs of envenoming. No case of coagulopathy was recorded. 16 cases had clinical evidence of myotoxicity; in 3 of these a description of the offending snake suggested that it was the small-eyed snake (Micropechis ikaheka). Among 41 patients receiving antivenom, there was only one serious adverse reaction. This is the first study of snake bite in the New Guinea region; it shows similarities with, but also important differences from, snake bite studies in the Papua region of Papua New Guinea.