Occupational injuries with captive lance-headed vipers (Bothrops moojeni):experience from a snake farm in Brazil

We studied occupational injuries with captive lance-headed vipers (Bothrops moojeni) that occurred in a snake farm in south-eastern Brazil from Februa ry 1981 to May 1999. The risk of injury, taking into account 13 cases of sn ake-associated injuries (12 of them snake bites) was 2.73 per 10 000 person -days of work, and 3.51 per 100 000 venom extractions. Thirteen cases of in jury occurred in seven workers, whereas 18 workers were never injured, sugg esting chat some individuals have a higher risk of injury than others perha ps due to lack of concentration or overconfidence. Eight episodes of occupa tional injuries occurring in four technicians, including a case of eye inju ry due to splashed venom during extraction, are reported. Assessment of whe ther envenoming occurred was facilitated by knowledge of the snake species and size, history of recent venom extraction and snake feeding, and examina tion of snake venom glands. Hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis and ser um sickness) to antivenom are a risk particularly to those workers who were bitten more than once and medicated previously. Antivenom therefore should not be administered to these individuals unless there is dear evidence tha t envenoming occurred or is likely to have occurred. Hypersensitivity to th e venom is also a health concern for workers from snake farms.