Assessment of profile of snake bite victims in a tertiary care centre: An observational study

Abstract

Background: Incidence and frequency of snake bite vary in different geographic regions, depending on several factors like climate, ecology, biodiversity, distribution of snakes & human density. Hence; the present study was undertaken for assessing the Snake Bite Victims in a Tertiary Care Centre.Materials and Methods: A total of 200 patients were enrolled in the present study. Data of only those patients were included who reported with snake bites. Complete data record files of all these 200 patients was analyzed. Demographic and clinical data was tabulated and assessed. Details of the treatment therapy received along with the final outcome of treatment were also recorded. On the basis of autopsy findings in non-survivors, in which patients died because of necropsy, was regarded as mortality.Results: In 84.5 percent of the patients, the place of bite was field area while in 19.5 percent of the patients, place of bite was house region. In 72.5 percent of the cases, leg region was bitten while in 11.5 percent of the cases, foot region was bitten. In 51 percent of the cases, the admission time from the point of snake bite was 1 to 4 hours. Mortality among snake bite patients was 4.5 percent.Conclusion: A reduction in time of approaching medical emergency facility reduced in past few years due to awareness about snake bite treatment and better transport facility.