TY - JOUR
T1 - A clinico-epidemiological study of snake bite in Nepal
AU - Hansdak, Samuel George
AU - Lallar, Kuldeep Singh
AU - Pokharel, Paras
AU - Shyangwa, Pramod
AU - Karki, Prahlad
AU - Koirala, Shekhar
PY - 1998/10
Y1 - 1998/10
N2 - Envenoming from snake bite is an important medical condition, frequently encountered at the emergency department of BPKIHS hospital (Dharan, Nepal). This is a retrospective study of 52 cases of suspected snake bite who presented at the department from August 1993 to November 1994. Analysis of the data showed that snake bite was more frequent between the ages of 11 to 20 years (36.7%) and 2.5 times more common in males. Fifty-seven per cent of the bites occurred between 1600 h and midnight with highest incidence (51%) occurring during the monsoon (August–October). Twenty per cent of the patients were able to identify the snake species as venomous and 90% of them presented to the hospital within 3 h of being bitten. Sixty per cent of the bites were in the lower limb. Neurotoxicity due to envenoming was recorded in nine patients (17%). No case of coagulopathy was recorded. The overall case fatality was 3.8% but mortality amongst those exhibiting signs of neurotoxicity was 22%.
AB - Envenoming from snake bite is an important medical condition, frequently encountered at the emergency department of BPKIHS hospital (Dharan, Nepal). This is a retrospective study of 52 cases of suspected snake bite who presented at the department from August 1993 to November 1994. Analysis of the data showed that snake bite was more frequent between the ages of 11 to 20 years (36.7%) and 2.5 times more common in males. Fifty-seven per cent of the bites occurred between 1600 h and midnight with highest incidence (51%) occurring during the monsoon (August–October). Twenty per cent of the patients were able to identify the snake species as venomous and 90% of them presented to the hospital within 3 h of being bitten. Sixty per cent of the bites were in the lower limb. Neurotoxicity due to envenoming was recorded in nine patients (17%). No case of coagulopathy was recorded. The overall case fatality was 3.8% but mortality amongst those exhibiting signs of neurotoxicity was 22%.
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U2 - 10.1177/004947559802800412
DO - 10.1177/004947559802800412
M3 - Article
C2 - 9803844
AN - SCOPUS:0031668445
SN - 0049-4755
VL - 28
SP - 223
EP - 226
JO - Tropical Doctor
JF - Tropical Doctor
IS - 4
ER -