Summary:
Snake bite is a serious global health problem. Incidence is
high in Bangladesh and mortality is identified to be one of
the highest in the world. Most bites are occurred by nonpoisonous
snakes and as many as 40% bites inflicted by
venomous snakes do not produce features of envenoming.
They need supportive treatment only. Poisonous bites are
treated with antivenin. But most people apply tight
tourniquet and take useless and harmful treatment from
traditional healers before getting admitted in hospital.
Delay in diagnosis and treatment causes fatality in many
cases. 46 patients admitted in department of Medicine,
MMCH from April,07 to March,08 with snake bites were
studied. Among them 35% were poisonous and 65% were
nonpoisonous bites. Male and female ratio was 3.6:1.
Mean age (years) was 34.9 ± 16.2 SD. Mean time of
interval between bite and hospitalization (hours) was 7.8 ±
9.5 SD. 94% bites occurred in land and 7% in water. 100%