153 results match your criteria: "Snake Envenomation Coral"

Article Synopsis
  • - This study investigates North American coral snake envenomations using data from the National Poison Data System over a 17-year period (2006-2022), focusing on epidemiological trends and clinical outcomes associated with bites.
  • - A total of 1,374 cases were analyzed, with the majority of bites occurring in adults from Florida and Texas, and no reported fatalities; about 30% of cases resulted in moderate to major clinical outcomes, with symptoms including pain, dermal irritation, and edema.
  • - Male patients made up a significant portion of the cases (75% for both pediatric and adult categories), and antivenom was administered in 21% of cases, with 37% requiring critical care. *
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Colubrids are a large group of snakes, with over 300 genera, previously thought to be harmless, making up about two-thirds of all snake species.
  • An 18-year-old male was bitten by Erythrolamprus bizona, a snake he mistakenly identified as a harmless species, resulting in localized swelling and pain, which later spread to his hand, with laboratory tests showing an increase in white blood cells and muscle enzymes.
  • This incident emphasizes the need for accurate identification of snakes, especially those that resemble harmless species, and raises awareness about the potential dangers of bites from snakes historically considered low-risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This retrospective, observational study describes the clinical findings, case management trends, and outcomes of 83 dogs and nine cats exposed to eastern coral snakes in a university teaching hospital setting. The medical records of dogs and cats that received antivenom following coral snake exposure were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, time to antivenom administration, physical and laboratory characteristics at presentation, clinical course during hospitalization, length of hospitalization, and survival to discharge.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Oligoclonal mixtures of broadly-neutralizing antibodies can neutralize complex compositions of similar and dissimilar antigens, making them versatile tools for the treatment of e.g., infectious diseases and animal envenomations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Standard Quality Characteristics and Efficacy of a New Third-Generation Antivenom Developed in Colombia Covering spp. Venoms.

Toxins (Basel)

April 2024

Grupo de Toxinología y Alternativas Terapéuticas-Serpentario, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA), Medellin 050010, Colombia.

Article Synopsis
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Quantifying venom production: A study on Micrurus snakes in Mexico.

Toxicon

March 2024

Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, C.P. 62210, Cuernavaca, Mor., Mexico.

Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzed venom production in nine species of Mexican coral snakes, with variations in venom yield observed among the species.
  • M. diastema and M. laticollaris showed significant differences, yielding between 0.3 mg and 59 mg of venom, with size influencing venom quantity for some snakes.
  • The findings can help predict venom effects and improve antivenom strategies, contributing to better medical responses to coral snake bites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Okinawa is a popular tourist spot known for its stunning beaches and reefs, which attract many visitors for marine activities.
  • The reefs are home to a variety of dangerous venomous species, including cone snails, box jellyfish, and lionfish, putting tourists at risk of envenomation.
  • Effective treatment for marine stings or bites includes first aid, hot water immersion, and possibly antivenom, highlighting the need for prehospital care providers to be well-informed about these venomous animals and their treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Emergency department management of North American snake envenomations.

Emerg Med Pract

February 2024

Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville; Medical Director, Florida/USVI Poison Information Center-Jacksonville at UF Health, Jacksonville, FL.

There are approximately 10,000 emergency department visits in the United States for snakebites every year, and one-third of those involve venomous species. Venomous North American indigenous snakes include species from the Crotalinae (pit vipers) and Elapidae (coral snakes) subfamilies. Treatment relies on supportive care, plus antivenom for select cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Snake envenoming is a major, but neglected, tropical disease. Among venomous snakes, those inducing neurotoxicity such as kraits (Bungarus genus) cause a potentially lethal peripheral neuroparalysis with respiratory deficit in a large number of people each year. In order to prevent the development of a deadly respiratory paralysis, hospitalization with pulmonary ventilation and use of antivenoms are the primary therapies currently employed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The challenge in detecting risk areas of snakebite when case rates are low: the case of Amazonian coral snakes.

An Acad Bras Cienc

December 2023

Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Bloco P1, Cidade Universitária, 13083-862 Campinas, SP, Brazil.

Identifying risk areas for envenomation by animals is relevant for public health, such as strategic distribution of antivenoms. Coral snakes are highly diverse in the Amazon, inhabit natural and human-modified environments, and the outcome of the cases tends to be serious and potentially lethal due to their neurotoxic venom. By integrating species' geographical records and environmental variables, we used species distribution modeling to predict the distribution of coral snake species in the Brazilian Amazonia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Shield-nose and Coral snakes (Aspidelaps spp.) are medium sized venomous snakes found throughout southern Africa. Little is known about the venom of these snakes and its clinical relevance, as human bites are uncommon.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unveiling the Venom Composition of the Colombian Coral Snakes , , and .

Toxins (Basel)

October 2023

Grupo de Investigación en Animales Ponzoñosos y sus Venenos, Dirección de Producción, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá 111321, Colombia.

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the venom composition and effects of two Colombian endemic coral snake species and other populations, using advanced techniques like electrophoresis and RP-HPLC to analyze venom components and enzyme activities.
  • Key findings include a significant presence of neurotoxins and metalloproteinases, with differences in venom profiles based on size and hydrophobicity of proteins, and the highest lethality recorded in one snake species’ venom.
  • The research demonstrates the venoms' cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines and hippocampal neurons, providing insights for future studies on snake venom applications in medicine and implications for treating snake bites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Venomous snakes of medical importance in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro: habitat and taxonomy against ophidism.

Braz J Biol

November 2023

Instituto Vital Brazil - IVB, Laboratório de Coleções Biológicas e Biodiversidade, Diretoria Científica, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.

Snakebite envenoming is a major global health problem that kills or disables half a million people in the world's poorest countries. Identifying the biting snake and its habitat use is key to understanding snakebite eco-epidemiology and optimizing its clinical management. To prevent and combat the neglected snakebite disease, we characterize the morphology, geographic distribution, habitat use, and snakebites of medically important venomous snakes in the state of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In-depth immunorecognition and neutralization analyses of Micrurus mipartitus and M. dumerilii venoms and toxins by a commercial antivenom.

Biochimie

January 2024

Grupo de Investigación en Toxinología, Alternativas Terapéuticas y Alimentarias, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address:

In Colombia, the Micrurus genus comprises 30 species, including M. mipartitus and M. dumerilii, which are of major clinical relevance due to their wide geographical distribution and the number of snakebites inflicted by them.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Snakes play an important role as predators, prey, ecosystem regulators and in advancing the human economy and pharmaceutical industries by producing venom-based medications such as anti-serums and anti-venoms. On the other hand, snakebites are responsible for over 120,000 annual fatalities; due to snakebites people lose their lives and suffer from diseases such as snake envenoming, epilepsy, and symptoms such as punctures, swelling, haemorrhage, bruising, blistering, and inflammation. Moreover, there are several challenges associated with different interventions for managing snakebites.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Toxic and antigenic characterization of Peruvian Micrurus surinamensis coral snake venom.

Toxicon

March 2023

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, Brazil. Electronic address:

Micrurus surinamensis is a semi-aquatic coral snake found in primary forest region and can cause relevant human accidents. In this work we investigated the toxic and antigenic activities of the Peruvian Micrurus surinamensis venom (MsV). We found that MsV show hyaluronidase activity but lack LAAO and PLA enzymatic activities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Envenomation by Micrurus hemprichii in Brazilian Amazonia: A report of three cases.

Toxicon

March 2023

Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado - FMT-HVD, Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Av. Pedro Teixeira, w/n, Dom Pedro, 69040-000, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Universidade do Estado do Amazonas - UEA, Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Av. Carvalho Leal, 1777, Cachoeirinha, 69065-001, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Electronic address:

Herein, we report three new separate cases of human envenomations by Micrurus hemprichii for the Amazon, which is a biome where envenomations by Micrurus are seldom reported. Two women were bitten after stepping on the snakes and one man was bitten while handling the animal. All cases occurred in the peridomicile, in rural areas.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Monoclonal-Based Antivenomics Reveals Conserved Neutralizing Epitopes in Type I PLA Molecules from Coral Snakes.

Toxins (Basel)

December 2022

Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil.

For over a century, polyclonal antibodies have been used to treat snakebite envenoming and are still considered by the WHO as the only scientifically validated treatment for snakebites. Nevertheless, moderate innovations have been introduced to this immunotherapy. New strategies and approaches to understanding how antibodies recognize and neutralize snake toxins represent a challenge for next-generation antivenoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

First Insights into the Venom Composition of Two Ecuadorian Coral Snakes.

Int J Mol Sci

November 2022

Biomolecules Discovery Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 8 Via Muyuna, Tena 150101, Ecuador.

is a medically relevant genus of venomous snakes composed of 85 species. Bites caused by coral snakes are rare, but they are usually associated with very severe and life-threatening clinical manifestations. Ecuador is a highly biodiverse country with a complex natural environment, which is home to approximately 20% of identified species.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Snake envenoming is a major but neglected human disease in tropical and subtropical regions. Among venomous snakes in the Americas, coral snakes of the genus are particularly dangerous because they cause a peripheral neuroparalysis that can persist for many days or, in severe cases, progress to death. Ventilatory support and the use of snake species-specific antivenoms may prevent death from respiratory paralysis in most cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Coral snakes mainly cause neurotoxic symptoms in human envenomation, but experimental studies have already demonstrated several pharmacological activities in addition to these effects. This investigation was carried out with the aim of evaluating (1) non-neurogenic mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response induced by Micrurus lemniscatus venom (MLV) in rat hind paws, (2) participation of PLA in this response, and (3) neutralizing efficiency of commercial anti-elapid antivenom on edema. MLV promoted a rapid, significant increase in vascular permeability, influx of leukocytes, and disorganization of collagen bundles, as demonstrated by histological analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Coral snake venoms from Brazil, while diverse with 34 known species, have been largely underexplored despite their complex composition and potential medical applications.
  • The study utilized the two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique to analyze the venom effects of five different species, revealing that they can inhibit muscle-type and neuronal-type receptors, showcasing various levels of reversibility.
  • The findings suggest that the venom's ability to inhibit potassium channels is a key element in their envenomation strategy, though sodium channels were not targeted by the venoms tested.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

North American Envenomation Syndromes.

Emerg Med Clin North Am

May 2022

Department of Medical Toxicology, Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, 1012 East Willetta Street, Fl 2, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA; University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

This review discusses the distinct envenomation syndromes produced by North American species of snakes and arthropods, specifically the Crotalinae subfamily of snakes, which includes cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes; coral snakes; Latrodectus and Loxosceles species of arachnid; and Centruroides sculpturatus, the only species of North American scorpion capable of producing an envenomation syndrome. The authors discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and presentation of these syndromes and emphasize the varying degrees to which these syndromes can manifest clinically. Finally, the management of each envenomation syndrome is addressed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Anti-Neurotoxins from in the Development of Coral Snake Antivenoms.

Toxins (Basel)

April 2022

Grupo de Investigación en Toxinología, Alternativas Terapéuticas y Alimentarias, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 1226, Colombia.

In Colombia, the genus includes 30 species, of which and are the most widely distributed. causes less than 3% of the approximately 5000 cases of snakebite per year. The elapid envenomation caused by the snakes from the genus, are characterized by the severity of their clinical manifestations, due to the venom neurotoxic components such as three-finger toxins (3FTx) and phospholipases (PLA).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report two snakebites by Micrurus ortoni in Colombia and one by M. hemprichii in Perú. In two of the cases, we observed mild to moderate motor neurological involvement and in all patients, there was a marked sensory effect with hyperesthesia and hyperalgesia radiating from the bite site to the entire ipsilateral hemibody.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF