Snake Bite

Snake bite envenoming occurs when a venomous snake injects venom through a bite, which can cause local tissue damage as well as serious system-wide effects such as bleeding disorders, paralysis, or kidney failure, depending on the snake species involved.

• Pain, swelling, and bruising at the bite site
• Two puncture marks may be visible, though this is not always the case
• Bleeding from the bite site, gums, or elsewhere in the body with certain venoms
• Difficulty breathing, drooping eyelids, or muscle weakness with neurotoxic venoms
• Dark urine and reduced urine output can indicate kidney involvement in more severe envenoming

• Bite from a venomous snake, with the type and severity of effects depending on the species involved.
• Risk is higher for people working in agriculture, walking barefoot in vegetation, or living in areas with known venomous snake populations, particularly at night.

• Diagnosed based on history of a snake bite together with clinical findings; identifying or describing the snake, if it can be done safely, can help guide treatment.
• The 20-minute whole blood clotting test, where available, helps detect venom-induced bleeding disorders.
• Monitoring for progressive local swelling, bleeding, or neurological symptoms (such as difficulty breathing or drooping eyelids) guides the urgency of treatment.

First aid involves keeping the person calm and still, immobilising the bitten limb in a position level with or slightly below the heart, and removing tight clothing or jewellery near the bite before swelling worsens; cutting, sucking, or applying a tight tourniquet to the wound should be avoided as these can cause further harm.

The person should be transported to a health facility as quickly and calmly as possible for assessment and observation.

Antivenom, when indicated and available, is the definitive treatment for significant envenoming and is given at a hospital under close monitoring for allergic reactions.

Supportive care includes treatment for pain, monitoring and support for breathing difficulty from neurotoxic envenoming, and management of bleeding or kidney complications as they arise.

Tetanus immunisation status is checked and updated where needed.

• Wear boots and use a torch when walking in grass, bush, or rocky areas, especially at night.
• Avoid handling or provoking snakes, alive or apparently dead.
• Clear bush and rubble away from homes where snakes may shelter.
• Seek medical care promptly after any snake bite, even if symptoms initially seem mild, since some effects can develop after a delay.