Envenoming by the South American pit viper Bothrops neuwiedi Wagler

Between 1975 and 1992, 18 cases of envenoming by Bathrops neuwiedi presente d at the Hospital Vital Brazil, in Sao Paulo. Most of these cases were male (67%) and most had been bitten during the day (83%), between November and May (83%), either on the foot/ankle (50%) or hand (39%). Most (72%) of the cases arrived at the hospital 1-6 h after the bite. All presented with pain and most (83%) had oedema, but fewer had ecchymosis (50%), necrosis (17%), abscess (5%) and/or systemic blood-coagulation disorders (12%). Polyspecif ic Bothrops antivenom was administered to 16 (89%) of the patients. The results of B, neuwiedi bites therefore appear very similar to those of the much better known B. jararaca, even in terms of the gravity of the enve noming. Impairment in blood coagulation, however, seems less frequent among those bitten by B. neuwiedi than in those bitten by B. jararaca.