Non-venomous snake bite and snake bite without envenoming in a brazilian teaching hospital: analysis of 91 cases Acidentes por serpentes não-peçonhentas e acidentes por serpentes peçonhentas sem envenenamento em hospital universitário brasileiro: análise de 91 casos

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Paulo Vitor Portella Silveira, Sérgio de Andrade Nishioka
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1992
• Subjects: Non-venomous snakes; Snake bite; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic; Fang
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651992000600002; https://doaj.org/article/a71c6dc6ac8a410898c103fac08651ed

A retrospective survey of 473 cases of snake bite admitted to a Brazilian teaching hospital from 1984 to 1990 revealed 91 cases of bite without envenoming and/or caused by non-venomous snakes. In 17 of these cases the snake was identified, and one patient was bitten by a snake-like reptile (Amphisbaena mertensii). In 43 cases diagnosis was made on clinical grounds (fang marks in the absence of signs of envenoming). The other 30 cases were of patients who complained of being bitten but who did not show any sign of envenoming or fang mark. Most cases occurred in men (66;73%), in the 10-19 years age group (26;29%), in the lower limbs (51/74;69%), between 6 A. M. and 2 P.M. (49;61%) and in the month of April (16; 18%). One patient bitten by Philodryas olfersii developed severe local pain, swelling and redness at the site of the bite, with normal clotting time. The patient bitten by Drymarcon corais was misdiagnosed as being bitten by a snake of the genus Bothrops, was given the specific antivenom, and developed anaphylaxis. One patient bitten by Sibynomorphus mikanii presented prolonged clotting time, and was also given antivenom as a case of Bothrops bite. Correct identification of venomous snakes by physicians is necessary to provide correct treatment to victims of snake bite, avoiding unnecessary distress to the patient, and overprescription of antivenom, which may eventually cause severe untoward effects. Um levantamento retrospectivo de 473 casos de acidentes ofídicos admitidos em um hospital-escola brasileiro de 1984 a 1990 revelou 91 casos sem envenenamento e/ou causados por serpentes não-peçonhentas. Em 17 casos a serpente foi identificada e um paciente foi mordido por um réptil que se assemelha às serpentes (Amphisbaena mertensii). Em 43 casos o diagnóstico foi clínico (sinal das presas na ausência de sinais de envenenamento). Os demais 30 casos foram de pacientes que se queixavam de terem sido mordidos mas que não apresentavam nem sinal de envenenamnto nem marca de presa. A maioria dos acidentes ocorreu no ...