ABSTRACT
Abstract Snakebites were included by the World Health Organization in their list of neglected diseases. In Latin America, most snakebites are caused by species of the Viperidae family, notably by the genus Bothrops. Bothrops atrox accounts for 90% of the cases of envenoming in the Brazilian Amazon. In this report, we present a series of three cases of snakebites that evolved with hemorrhagic stroke due to delays in the access to antivenom in the Brazilian Amazon, being fundamental for diagnosis to validate the clinical suspicion and make decisions that would improve the treatment and prognosis of the patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Young Adult , Snake Bites/complications , Stroke/etiology , Intracranial Hemorrhages/etiology , Crotalid Venoms/toxicity , Snake Bites/drug therapy , Brazil , Antivenins/therapeutic use , BothropsABSTRACT
Abstract INTRODUCTION: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for detecting Plasmodium antigens have become increasingly common worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Immuno-Rapid Malaria Pf/Pv RDT in detecting Plasmodium vivax infection compared to standard thick blood smear (TBS) under microscopy. METHODS: Hundred and eighty-one febrile patients from the hospital's regular admissions were assessed using TBS and RDT in a blinded experiment. RESULTS: RDT showed a sensitivity of 98.9%, specificity of 100%, and accuracy of 99.5% for P. vivax infection when compared to TBS. CONCLUSIONS: The RDT is highly accurate, making it a valuable diagnostic tool for P. vivax infection.