Cerebral infarction in a young male following viper envenomation.

ABSTRACT

Neurological deficits can occur following viper bite. It is usually due to intracerebral or subarachnoid bleed as a result of depletion of clotting factors. A healthy 21-year old male developed motor aphasia and right hemiplegia within two hours of being bit by a viper. Brain CT scan revealed a left frontal lobe infarction. The possible mechanisms for cerebral infarction in this patient are hypotension, endothelial injury, hypercoagulability and vascular.