SNAKEBITE INJURIES - CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND INTENTIONALITY OF EXPOSURE

The objective was to study the intent of exposure to snakes and other factors contributing to snakebite injuries in order to develop prevent ion strategies. We used a retrospective chart review and a follow-up t elephone interview of snakebite victims who were admitted to a tertiar y care center between 1985 and 1994. The data collected included demog raphics, intent of exposure and host and environmental factors. I perf ormed descriptive analysis. Twenty-four males and six females ranging in age from 2 to 93 years sustained bites from a variety of snakes inc luding rattlesnakes, copperheads, and Egyptian cobra, and others. Sixt y-seven percent (20/30) of all bites resulted from intentional exposur es to snakes: professional snake handlers (7), snake hunts (8), and pl aying with (aggravating) snakes in the wild (5). Sixty-five percent (1 3/20) of intentional exposures involved novices in a recreational/home setting, and 35% (7/20) occurred in an occupational setting. Unintent ional exposures occurred while victims were walking in wooded areas, f ishing by streams, gardening, and washing dishes indoors. Forty percen t (12/30) of all victims had consumed alcohol before the snakebite, 92 % (11/12) of whom were nonprofessionals with intentional exposures. On ly eight victims (seven of whom were professional handlers) were using protective equipment. I concluded that the majority of snakebite inju ries resulted from intentional exposures to snakes in which a variety of factors such as the use of alcohol and lack of protective equipment likely played a rule.