Snakebite envenoming in Kerala, South India: clinical profile and factors involved in adverse outcomes.

Background: Snakebite envenoming is an important medical emergency in Kerala, but the factors leading to complications have not been well studied.

Objectives: To study the clinical characteristics, factors involved in complications and the outcomes in relation to timing of polyvalent snake antivenom (SAV) administration in patients with snakebite envenoming.

Methods: Patients were recruited from cases of snakebites admitted to the emergency care unit of Kottayam Medical College between May 2005 and December 2006.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica-like skin eruption in a case of short bowel syndrome following jejuno-transverse colon anastomosis.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of zinc deficiency. Zinc is an essential trace element in human metabolism and acquired zinc deficiency may manifest with skin eruptions simulating acrodermatitis enteropathica. We report an unusual case of acrodermatitis enteropathica-like skin eruption due to deficiency of zinc and other nutritional factors in a patient who has undergone extensive small bowel resection and jejuno-transverse colon anastomosis for mesenteric ischemia.