Study on Venoms bite By Kasiar R Sayyed (Amit Sayyed) Wild Life Protection and Research Society, Satara,Maharashtra (2010-2011)

(amitsayyedsatara@gmail.com) Date 23-9-2011

Abstract
Most of the people of urban and rural areas are till unknown about first add and proper treatment of snake bite, snake bite is becoming very immense problem, numbers of fatality is increasing day by day, and many snake bite victims are facing some problems for long.

Introduction
Snake bite is an important public health problem in many countries. Snake bite affects the lives of around 4.5 million people world wide every year, seriously injuring 2.7 million men, women and children, Most of the snake bites are harmless and are delivered by nonpoisonous snakes. India is farm base conry about 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages and the rest 27.8% in about 5,480 towns and citys. Rural people mainly farmers and workers are facing problems of snake bite, Worldwide. only about 15% of the more than 3000 species of snakes are considered dangerous to humans. More than 270 species of snakes found In India and near about 70 of them are poisonous, in West Maharashtra is home of 49 species of snakes and 10 of them are poisonous, five poisonous species from the family Elaphidae (Bungarus caeruleus,Bungarus sindanus walli, Calliophis melanurus,Calliophis nigrescens,Naja naja) and five from the Family Viperidae (Echisn carinatus,Daboia russelii,Trimeresurus gramineus,Trimeresurus malabaricus,Hypnale hypnale) The venomous species are members of the families Elapidae, Viperidae and subfamily Crotalidae (Pit vipers). The family Viperidae is the largest family of venomous snakes, and members can be found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the America. The family Elapidae is the next largest family of venomous snakes.

Snakebite Overview
Snakes are incredible animals, successful in the sea, on land, in forests and in deserts. Snakes are eaters of live prey and some snakes are feed on resent died animals. Snake catch prey that includes insects, birds, small mammals, and other reptiles, sometimes including other snakes. Many snakes kill their prey by constricting; snake suffocates its prey by tightening its hold around the chest, preventing breathing or causing direct cardiac arrest. Snakes do not kill by crushing prey. Some snakes grab prey with their teeth and then swallow it whole. Snakes are cold-blooded. Thus, they are unable to increase their body temperature and stay active when it is cold outside. They are most active at 25-32 C (77-90 F).
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Snakes are almost always more scared of you than you are of them. Most snakes do not act aggressive toward humans without irritation. Deadly snakes inject venom using modified salivary glands. During the bite snake injects venom, the venom passes from the venom gland through a duct into the snake's fangs, and finally into its prey. Not all bites lead to envenomation. Snakes can regulate whether to release venom and how much to release. There is three type of bite 1) Dry bite =a bite where non venom is injected 2) Partial bite=most of snake bites are partial, unexpectedly humans and snakes are coming in front of each other or unknowingly snake crash by foot at that time snake strikes and relies less venom, and 3) In tensional bite=this type of bite is very dangerous normally snake catchers and who attempt to kill the snake are becoming the part of this dangerous bite. when snake has no option to move away at that time snake try to inject venom as possible as snake can. Snake venom is a combination of numerous substances with varying effects. In simple terms, these proteins can be divided into 4 categories: Cytotoxins cause local tissue damage. Hemotoxins cause internal bleeding. Neurotoxins affect the nervous system. Cardiotoxins act directly on the heart.

Snakebite Diagnosis
Analysis of snakebite is complete based on the history of the incident. Identification or description of the snake can be helpful in the treatment of snake bite, this is very difficult to get conform that snake venom injected or not. The doctor also looks for evidence of fang marks or local distress in the area of the bite. Pain and swelling accompany much snakebite, poisonous or nonpoisonous. The doctor treats breathing problems, shock, or immediately serious injuries even before a full workup is complete. The injury will be examined and cleaned. If a patient has symptoms, the doctor will likely send blood and urine samples to the laboratory to look for evidence of bleeding, problems in the blood clotting system, kidney problems, or muscle death. These problems may not be initially apparent, but can have dire consequences if missed. The patient is monitored to look for worsening symptoms at the wound site, or worsening systemic symptoms in the breathing or cardiovascular systems. A rare complication in very swollen limbs is compartment syndrome. Limbs are divided into compartments of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Severe swelling can cut off the blood circulation to a compartment. When the circulation is cut off, the patient usually has severe pain and numbness. Later, the limb may get white and cold. If not treated in time, the limb may need to be amputated.

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Local effects:

Figure 1

Figure 2

After bite of Russell's viper (Figure 1,2) Bites by vipers (Echisn carinatus, Daboia russelii,Trimeresurus gramineus, Trimeresurus malabaricus,Hypnale hypnale) and some cobra (Naja naja) are painful. They can be severely swollen and can bleed and blister. Naja naja venoms can also kill the tissue around the site of the bite.Bites by vipers can cause changes in the victim's hematologic system causing bleeding. this bleeding can be localized or diffuse. Internal organs can be involved. A victim may bleed from the bite site or bleed suddenly from the mouth or old wounds. Unchecked bleeding can cause shock or even death.Venom of Daboia russellii can directly cause muscle death in many areas of the body. There can be local effect of muscle death necrosis or the breakdown of muscle fibers resulting in the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. Some of these are harmful to the kidney and frequently result in kidney damage.

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Figure 4

After bite of Cobra Naja naja (Figure3,4) Effects of Naja venom at first victims may have vision problems, speaking and breathing trouble, and numbness on bite site. The effect on the nervous system can be experienced locally close to the bite area or affect the nervous system directly. Venom from elapids can affect the nervous system directly. Naja venom can work particularly quickly by stopping the breathing muscles, resulting in death without treatment.
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Study Area: Districts of Maharashtra= Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur and Ratnagiri

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