Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 100, Issue 7 , Pages 693-695, July 2006

Underestimation of snakebite mortality by hospital statistics in the Monaragala District of Sri Lanka

  • S. Fox

      Affiliations

    • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
    • ,
  • A.C. Rathuwithana

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, P.O. Box 6, Ragama, Sri Lanka
    • ,
  • A. Kasturiratne

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, P.O. Box 6, Ragama, Sri Lanka
    • ,
  • D.G. Lalloo

      Affiliations

    • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
    • ,
  • H.J. de Silva

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, P.O. Box 6, Ragama, Sri Lanka
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +94 11 2958039; fax: +94 11 2958337.

Received 29 June 2005; received in revised form 1 September 2005; accepted 5 September 2005.

Summary 

Estimates of snakebite mortality are mostly based on hospital data, although these may considerably underestimate the problem. In order to determine the accuracy of hospital-based statistics, data on snakebite mortality in all hospitals in the Monaragala District of Sri Lanka were compared to data on snakebite as the certified cause of death for the district, for the 5-year period between 1999 and 2003. Data were cross-checked in a sample of hospitals and divisional secretariats within the district. Hospital statistics did not report 45 (62.5%) of the true number of snakebite deaths in the Monaragala District. Twenty-six (36.1%) of the victims either did not seek, or had no access to, a hospital. Another 19 (26.4%) had arrived at hospital, but had done so too late to receive treatment. Our study confirms the limitations of official hospital-based mortality data on snakebite.

Keywords: Snakebite, Mortality, Sri Lanka

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PII: S0035-9203(05)00324-X

doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2005.09.003

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 100, Issue 7 , Pages 693-695, July 2006

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