Journal Article

Effective, polyvalent, affordable antivenom needed to treat snakebite in Nepal

Thapa-Magar, Chhabilal, Isbister, Geoffrey K, Mohamed, Fahim, Pandey, Deb P, Acharya, Krishna P, Shrestha, Bhola R

2017

Overview

Nepal has one of the highest snakebite fatality rates in south Asia. A study in the country in 2001 indicated an annual incidence, in the study area, of 162 snakebite-related deaths per 100 000 population. If the numbers of out-of-hospital deaths caused by snakebite are to be reduced in Nepal, there needs to be improvements in the public awareness of the benefits of snakebite treatment in hospital and in the pre-hospital care of snakebite - as seen, for example, in Sri Lanka. The corresponding in-hospital mortality will only be reduced by increasing the availability of safe and effective antivenoms and improving critical care for people bitten by snakes. Until Nepal is able to produce antivenom of high quality, antivenoms will need to be imported from other Asian countries or elsewhere. As a temporary measure, i.e. until local production is ready in terms of capacity and funding, antivenoms produced by competent non-profit institutions, e.g. in Brazil or Costa Rica, could be imported.

• Publisher: World Health Organization
• Subject: Analysis / Antivenins - therapeutic use / Antivenom / Bites and stings / Bloodroot / Bungarus caeruleus / Bungarus lividus / Bungarus niger / Collaboration / Costs / Critical care / Daboia russelii / Deaths / Echis carinatus / Epidemiology / Fatalities / Horses / Hospitals / Humans / Naja naja / Nepal / Nonprofit organizations / Perceptions / Perspectives / Public awareness / Public health / Risk factors / Scholarships & fellowships / Snake bites / Snake Bites - drug therapy / Snakes / Studies / Surveys / Venom