HYDERABAD: How does a person bitten by a snake know which anti-venom drug needs to be administered to him? Patients do not know, doctors do but anxious patients or their attendants, in their attempt to ensure appropriate treatment have been hunting down the reptiles, packing them in bags and bringing them to hospitals.
They think it is necessary to know the species of the snakes that bit them. Doctors disagree, adding that treatment can be provided without seeing a snake, or even based on description of the reptile or a photo.
Head of Medicine Department at Gandhi Hospital, Dr M Raja Rao, said that they administer Polyvalent Anti-Snake Venom drug which works against the four common types of snake venom. Head of Emergency department at Citizens Hospital, Dr Galla Lakshmikanth, said that they offer treatment based on symptoms: bite marks, pain, swelling. People can even describe the snake, for instance its colour and the marks on it. When a Cobra or Krait (a common venomous Indian snake) bites, people could slip into Neuroparalysis and develop respiration problems, Dr Raja Rao said. “Such patients need ventilator support. When a person is bitten by Vipers, they can develop renal failure and would need dialysis”.
There are four types of snakes, also known as big four, which are highly venomous: Spectacled Cobra, Common Krait, Russel Viper, Saw-Scaled Viper, which are found throughout India.
Avinash from Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) appealed to people to take photos of the snakes to show them to doctors rather than killing them. He added that the four poisonous snakes do not bite unless they are cornered, left with no option. “Or when a snake is injured by a person. They avoid conflict, they bite in self defence,” he said.
Seeking remedy from quacks
To make matters worse, people approach quacks seeking treatment for snake bites. Doctors said that many snake bite victims come to them only when situation becomes complicated. “They should come to institutes at the earliest regardless of the snake is identified or not. We examine the patient and depending on the symptoms we could know the amount of venom in a patient’s body after which we decide the number of vials of Polyvalent Anti-Snake Venom drug that needs to be administered,” Raja Rao said.
“Usually, people do not come to us immediately after the incident. They approach quacks, or adopt some traditional medication.” Dr Lakshmikanth said.