Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 100, Issue 9 , Pages 874-878 , September 2006

Identifying the biting species in snakebite by clinical features: an epidemiological tool for community surveys

  • A. Pathmeswaran

      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
    • ,
  • M. Fonseka

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, P.O. Box 6, Ragama, Sri Lanka
    • ,
  • S. Nandasena

      Affiliations

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

      Affiliations

    • Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 151 705 3179; fax: +44 151 708 3368.
    • ,
  • H.J. de Silva

      Affiliations

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

Received 5 August 2005 ,Revised 26 September 2005 ,Accepted 3 October 2005.

References 

  1. Abramson JH, Gahlinger PM. Computer Program for Epidemiologists: PEPI, Version 3. London: Brixton Books; 1999;
  2. Dart RC, Hurlbut KM, Garcia R, Boren J. Validation of a severity score for the assessment of crotalid snakebite. Ann. Emerg. Med. 1996;27:321–326
  3. Dean, A.G., Dean, J.A., Coulombier, D., Brendel, K.A., Smith, D.C., Burton, A.H., Dicker, R.C., Sullivan, K., Fagan, R.F., Arner, T.G., 1996. Epi Info, Version 6: a word processing, database, and statistics program for public health on IBM-compatible microcomputers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
  4. Deraniyagala PEP. The effect of the venom of Echis carinata sinhaleya the Saw Scaled Viper of Ceylon. Spolia Zeylan. Bull. Natl. Mus. Ceylon Geol. Zool. Anthropol. 1960;29:33–34
  5. de Silva A, Aloysius DJ. Moderately and mildly venomous snakes of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Med. J. 1983;28:118–127
  6. de Silva A, Ranasinghe L. Epidemiology of snakebite in Sri Lanka: a review. Ceylon Med. J. 1983;28:144–154
  7. de Silva A, Uragoda CG. Traditional methods of snake-bite treatment in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Med. J. 1983;28:170–174
  8. de Silva A, Wijekoon AS, Jayasena L, Abeysekera CK, Bao CX, Hutton RA, et al. Haemostatic dysfunction and acute renal failure following envenoming by Merrem's hump-nosed viper (Hypnale hypnale) in Sri Lanka: first authenticated case. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1994;88:209–212
  9. Gold BS, Dart DC, Barish RA. Bites of venomous snakes. N. Engl. J. Med. 2002;347:347–356
  10. Ho M, Warrell DA, Looareesuwan S, Phillips RE, Chanthavanich P, Karbwang J, et al. Clinical significance of venom antigen levels in patients envenomed by the Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma). Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1986;35:579–587
  11. Kularatne SAM, Ratnatunga N. Severe systemic effects of Merrem's hump-nosed viper bite. Ceylon Med. J. 1999;44:169–170
  12. Moss ST, Bogdan G, Dart RC, Nordt SP, Williams SR, Clark RF. Association of rattlesnake bite location with severity of clinical manifestations. Ann. Emerg. Med. 1997;30:58–61
  13. Premawardena AP, Seneviratne SL, Gunatilake SB, de Silva HJ. Excessive fibrinolysis: the coagulopathy following Merrem's hump-nosed viper (Hypnale hypnale) bites. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1998;58:821–823
  14. Premawardhena AP, de Silva CE, Fonseka MMD, Gunatilake SB, de Silva HJ. Low dose subcutaneous adrenaline to prevent acute adverse reactions to antivenom serum in people bitten by snakes: randomised, placebo controlled trial. BMJ. 1999;318:1041–1043
  15. Ratnapala R, Aloysius DJ, Ranasinghe L. Deadly venomous land snakes of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Med. J. 1983;28:112–117
  16. Sellahewa KH, Kumararatne MP. Envenomation by the hump-nosed viper (Hypnale hypnale). Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1994;51:823–825
  17. Seneviratne SL, Opanayaka CJ, Ratnayake NSL, Sarath Kumara KE, Sugathadasa AM, Weerasuriya N, et al. Use of antivenom serum in snake bite: a prospective study of hospital practice in the Gampaha district. Ceylon Med. J. 2000;45:65–68
  18. Warrell DA. Clinical toxicology of snakebite in Africa and the Middle East/Arabian Peninsula. In:  Meier J,  White J editor. Handbook of Clinical Toxicology of Animal Venoms and Poisons. New York: CRC Press; 1995;p. 435–489

PII: S0035-9203(05)00379-2

doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2005.10.003

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 100, Issue 9 , Pages 874-878 , September 2006

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