Dangerous snakes, deadly snakes and medically important snakes

• Published in: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Main Author: Anjana Silva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SciELO 2013
• Subjects: Snakes; Snake bites; Snake venoms; Snake envenomation; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Toxicology. Poisons; RA1190-1270; Zoology; QL1-991; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1678-9199-19-26; https://doaj.org/article/329cd1f7d7774b0aa0670ad8da759685

This correspondence argues that the dangerousness of a venomous snake species is not solely determined by the venom characteristics or the lethality of the snake, and recognizes that medical importance comprises a key variable as well. The medical importance of a snake is determined by several factors - including frequency of medical attention after a bite, local or systemic envenomation provoked by the bite, fatal bites, long term consequences, availability of antivenom therapy as well as the size of the population at risk - that may vary from one region to another.