In a small town in Kenya, 11-year-old Beatrice sat on the side of the road, paddling the dirt on the ground to pass the time. Suddenly, a "red line" popped out from the crack in the stone. Before she could react, she felt a heartbreaking pain in her right index finger. Beatrice's father immediately recognized that his daughter had been bitten by a snake and rushed her to the village hospital.
The injury progressed quickly: 30 minutes later, the wound became swollen; 5 hours later, the finger began to turn dark, and Beatrice was transferred to a larger hospital; 24 hours later, the finger completely turned into carbon black, and the doctor had no choice but to take the ultimate treatment——Beatrice lost her right index finger when she was the same age.
Snakes usually attack people out of defense or misjudgment. Humans are too large and are not their ideal prey.
According to the World Health Organization, every year around the world at least5 million peopleEncountered a snake bite, among which,120,000 peopledied as a result, and400,000 peopleForced amputation. Considering that the statistics come mainly from hospital attendance records, the actual number of casualties must be higher. Currently, WHO has classified snake bites as"Neglected Tropical Diseases" list.
The problem is particularly prevalent in Africa, South America and India. Venomous snakes often appear silently on the floors of homes, in outdoor toilets, and in the grass on the roadside, catching people off guard. Moreover, these areas mainly rely on agriculture for a living. If the main family member is bitten, it often means the collapse of a family.
Snakes usually attack people out of defense or misjudgment. Humans are too large and are not their ideal prey.
Among the many venomous snakes, two are the deadliest: the giant viper and the black mamba.
giant viper(Bitisariatans)The body shape is relatively small, the short one is only 15 centimeters, and the long one is no more than 1.8 meters. This kind of snake likes to look for food at night and is not afraid of being frightened. Even if someone approaches, it will not run away quickly. This results in people often stepping on its smooth and elastic body in the dark, and then being bitten on the leg.
giant viperToxin is blood poison, will affect coagulation function, and in severe cases can lead to tissue gangrene and renal failure.
The giant belled viper is a species of the genus Viperidae in the family Viperidae. Although it is short, it is very strong.
black mamba snake(Dendroaspispolypis)With an average length of 2.2 to 2.7 meters, it is one of the most deadly venomous snakes in Africa.Its venom is neurotoxin, 10 to 15 milligrams can kill an adult, and the amount of venom of a black mamba snake is usually 100 to 120 milligrams.
After being bitten by it, people will have symptoms such as eyelid drooping, pupil constriction, and loss of consciousness in mild cases. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular failure.
The black mamba snake is a species of the genus Black Mamba in the family Cobraidae. It crawls very fast, reaching 16 to 20 kilometers per hour.
In addition to the above two venomous snakes, various snakes in the family Cobra are also very dangerous, and each has its own terrifying features. For example, the King Cobra, which can grow up to 5.8 meters, can scare people out of their wits just by encountering it; there is also a type of venomous cobra that can accurately hit targets 5 meters away.
king snake
In theory, with the right antivenom, death could be almost completely avoided. However, in real life, it is difficult to obtain serum in a timely, efficient and affordable manner.
The first is the identification of venomous snakes.
After being bitten, if the patient can remember the color and pattern of the venomous snake, or even directly recognize its species,Will provide important clues for doctors to choose antivenom. But for ordinary people, this is a difficult and confusing matter. Taking the mamba as an example, the green mamba is green, but the black mamba may be off-white or dark brown - the "black" in the black mamba refers to the color of its mouth.
First approved antivenom in U.S.
The second is the time to get the medicine.
The best time for antivenom to be effective is within 6 hours after being bitten. However, many countries lack relevant training for medical staff, often causing patients to miss the best treatment window. Some doctors mistake wounds for insect bites or diagnose headaches, nausea, and physical exhaustion as other conditions.
Ali is a trainee nurse in Nakuru County, Kenya. She told the media about her rescue experience. At that time, a boy had extremely difficulty breathing. Doctors immediately gave him oxygen based on experience, but the boy soon lost his vital signs.
later,Autopsy revealed signs of snake bites on boy's body, which made Ali fall into deep self-blame. She said the school never taught anything about snake bites, otherwise the boy's life might have been saved.
Venomous snakes generally leave two deep tooth marks. Non-venomous snakes have more tooth marks and may leave two rows of small teeth marks.
The supply of antivenom is also a big problem.
Currently, there is only one serum production factory in sub-Saharan Africa, with most countries importing it from Asia and South America. But venomous snakes in one country are often different from those in another country, or even the same species of venomous snakes.Venom also varies with age, habitat and season.This results in the inability to mass-produce antivenom and pharmaceutical companies lack production motivation.
The picture shows the process of collecting snake venom; the current main method of preparing antivenom is to detoxify the snake venom and inject it into horses, sheep and other animals, and then collect the antibodies in these animals
The good news is that new developments are also coming in the field of snake bite prevention!
Some scientists are developing "cocktail serum therapy" in the hope of covering as many types of snake venom as possible at once. There are also AI engineers who train large models to allow the bitten person to "take pictures and identify snakes" if the situation permits, thereby helping doctors choose the best treatment plan.
Of course, popular science also plays a big role! In addition to sharing general knowledge with the public, many science popularizers will specifically emphasize one thing.Snakes and humans are never hostile(Humans have no hunting value in the eyes of snakes). If the method is used properly, people and snakes can be safe and live side by side on the same land without interfering with each other.
Tips
When encountering a snake in the wild, stay calm,Don't disturb or attack it, retreat slowly and keep a distance of more than 1 meter. If bitten by a snake,Call emergency number immediately, avoid strenuous exercise. Remove rings, watches, and other items to avoid being unable to remove them later due to swelling. If it is a venomous snake bite, a bandage can be wrapped appropriately from the wound to the proximal end.Do not try to suck out the venom or stab the wound with a knife.Record the snake's characteristics so the doctor can make a judgment. Avoid using ice or hot water as this may aggravate the wound.
References
[1]https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/health/africa-snakebite-treatment-access.html
[2]https://africageographic.com/stories/which-snake-is-africas-deadliest/
[3]http://www.xinhuanet.com/science/20241025/9decf74a9cf64f30bc60e5b315bb024e/c.html
[4] Special issue of All Things Land, "You have poison and I have an antidote", p140