Publications by authors named "Emelia Santamaria"

Background: Little is known about snakebites by Naja samarensis, a species unique to the Philippines. The aim here is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients bitten by this medically important cobra in the Eastern Visayas.

Methods: A hospital-based prospective study analysed the features of snakebite patients attending Eastern Visayas Medical Center between June 2022 and May 2023.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The Samar cobra (Naja samarensis) is a highly venomous snake found in the Eastern Visayas of the Philippines, yet there have been no clinical case reports documenting its bites in international literature.
  • The need for identifying the snake responsible for envenomation in hospitals is tough due to the lack of diagnostic tests and the absence of published cases, except for the related N. philippinensis.
  • This report details five cases of confirmed N. samarensis bites, highlighting varied symptoms, including local tissue damage and neurotoxic effects, with successful treatment achieved using locally produced antivenom and supportive care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease posing public health challenges globally. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries are among the tropical regions with disproportionately high incidence of snakebite. Hence, this study aimed to review the situation of snakebite, antivenom market and access to antivenoms in ASEAN.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate how well hospitals in the EU are prepared for evacuation in emergencies.
  • It utilized a systematic review and collected responses from representatives of 15 EU and non-EU countries to assess current preparedness and guidelines.
  • Findings highlight a lack of standard evacuation procedures and awareness of the consequences of medical decisions during evacuations, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to create comprehensive evacuation guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Historical changes have transformed Sweden from being an offensive to a defensive and collaborative nation with national and international engagement, allowing it to finally achieve the ground for the civilian-military collaboration and the concept of a total defense healthcare. At the same time, with the decreasing number of international and interstate conflicts, and the military's involvement in national emergencies and humanitarian disaster relief, both the need and the role of the military healthcare system within the civilian society have been challenged. The recent impact of the COVID-19 in the USA and the necessity of military involvement have led health practitioners to anticipate and re-evaluate conditions that might exceed the civilian capacity of their own countries and the need to have collaboration with the military healthcare.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF