Cerebral Complications of Snakebite Envenoming: Case Studies

Bibliographic Details
Title: Cerebral Complications of Snakebite Envenoming: Case Studies
Authors: Yu-Kai Huang, Yen-Chia Chen, Chia-Chun Liu, Hui-Chun Cheng, Anthony T. Tu, Kun-Che Chang
Source: Toxins, Vol 14, Iss 7, p 436 (2022)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2022.
Publication Year: 2022
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: snakebite envenoming, hemotoxin, neurotoxin, ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, anti-venom serum, Medicine
More Details: There are an estimated 5.4 million snakebite cases every year. People with snakebite envenoming suffer from severe complications, or even death. Although some review articles cover several topics of snakebite envenoming, a review of the cases regarding cerebral complications, especially rare syndromes, is lacking. Here, we overview 35 cases of snakebite by front-fanged snakes, including Bothrops, Daboia, Cerastes, Deinagkistrodon, Trimeresurus, and Crotalus in the Viperidae family; Bungarus and Naja in the Elapidae family, and Homoroselaps (rare cases) in the Lamprophiidae family. We also review three rare cases of snakebite by rear-fanged snakes, including Oxybelis and Leptodeira in the Colubridae family. In the cases of viper bites, most patients (17/24) were diagnosed with ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage, leading to six deaths. We then discuss the potential underlying molecular mechanisms that cause these complications. In cases of elapid bites, neural, cardiac, and ophthalmic disorders are the main complications. Due to the small amount of venom injection and the inability to deep bite, all the rear-fanged snakebites did not develop any severe complications. To date, antivenom (AV) is the most effective therapy for snakebite envenoming. In the six cases of viper and elapid bites that did not receive AV, three cases (two by viper and one by elapid) resulted in death. This indicates that AV treatment is the key to survival after a venomous snakebite. Lastly, we also discuss several studies of therapeutic agents against snakebite-envenoming-induced complications, which could be potential adjuvants along with AV treatment. This article organizes the diagnosis of hemotoxic and neurotoxic envenoming, which may help ER doctors determine the treatment for unidentified snakebite.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2072-6651
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/14/7/436; https://doaj.org/toc/2072-6651
DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070436
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/115f5dd89f7e423eb486177d05066ebe
Accession Number: edsdoj.115f5dd89f7e423eb486177d05066ebe
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:20726651
DOI:10.3390/toxins14070436
Published in:Toxins
Language:English