Snake Venom Poisoning in the United States

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Abstract
SNAKE venom poisoning is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention and the exercise of considerable judgment. Approximately 45,000 snakebites occur each year in the United States, of which almost 8,000 are inflicted by venomous snakes, and about 6,800 of these are reported.1,2During the past five years, the number of deaths from snake venom poisoning in this country has not exceeded 12 each year. Approximately 20% of all bites by venomous snakes in the United States show no evidence of envenomation; that is, the offending reptile bites but does not inject venom or ejects it onto the skin during a superficial strike. This percentage is even higher with elapids (cobras and corals, among others), and there is no doubt that many of the "cures" described in the literature3can be ascribed to the fact that no envenomation took place during the biting. Thus, it is important that the

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