A Cross Sectional Study of Deaths Due to Snakebite: Autopsied at a Tertiary Care Centre, Hubballi

Abstract

Worldwide, Snakebite is an important and preventable health hazard in many of the tropical and subtropical
countries. Death following snake bite is a cumulative effect of all the toxic reactions that are produced
by the snake venom in the body of the victim.1Globally it is estimated that the true incidence of snake
envenomation could exceed 3 million per year and about 1,00,000 of these develop severe sequelae. With
this background, a study has been conducted to determine the pattern of snakebite death cases, autopsied at
KIMS, Hubballi, Karnataka. The study revealed that maximum number of snakebite cases were recorded in
the rainy season (34.9%) followed by the winter season (31.7%).In a greater number of cases the incidence
of snake bite occurred predominantly in lower limb (54%) as compared to upper limb (46%).Peak incidence
of snake bite was recorded in the time between 08:00 am to 04:00 pm (41.3%) followed by 04:00 pm
to midnight (30.2%). Majority of the cases were declared dead (47.61%) within 24 hours of initiation of
anti-snake venom. The cause of death in majority of the study population was respiratory failure (92.06%)
followed by shock (7.93%).