Russell's viper bites in Taungdwingyi Civil Hospital:Clinical features and respones to antivenom

ABSTRACT

One hundred thirty-four Russell's viper (Daboia russell siamensis) bite cases were studies in Taungdwingyi during six months from June to December 1994. Forty percent of the victims were under 20 years of age. Thirty-eight percent showed no evidence of envenoming, 28 percent had local and 34 percent systemic features of envenoming. Ten percent of the cases developed local necrosis. Fifteen percent of the victims received antivenom therapy at the villages. Cases presenting with systemic manifestations had spontaneous systemic bleeding (29 percent); malena (18 percent), hypotension (22 percent), oliguria (42 percent), conjunctival oedema (18 percent) and renal failure (33 percent). Twelve deaths (9 percent) were due to hypotension and renal failure. Spontaneous systemic bleedings were late manifestations and seen from day 2 to 6 after the bite. Thirty-seven percent of the cases with systemic bleeding failed to have normal clot restoration in 6 hours following 40 ml of antivenom administration. Antivenom reactions were observed in 50 percent of the cases. Fifty two percent of juvenile and 19 percent of adult viper bites resulted in blank bites and 16 percent of the former and 31 percent of the latter bites led to systemic envenoming.