Snakebite admissions in Zimbabwe: pattern, clinical presentation and management

Abstract

Of the approximately 2500 species of snakes that are found throughout the world, less than 200 are venomous.' However, a larger proportion of venomous snakes and snakebite morbidity occurs in tropical and subtropical areas, often encompassing developing countries. To illustrate this, only one species of poisonous snake, the common European adder (Vipera berus) is indigenous to Britain and accounts for about 200 hospital admissions annually with only a handful of deaths in the last century (12 by 1993). On the other hand, the World Health Organisation estimates about one million snakebites on the African continent alone involving 500 000 envenomations with 40% being hospitalised. and it has been estimated that snakebite causes about 100 deaths per day in India and Pakistan