Citation

Girish KS, Katkar GD, Harrison RA, Kemparaju K. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2019; 100(5): 1043-1048.

Affiliation

DOS in Biochemistry, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Publisher American Society of Tropical Medicine)

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.17-0877

PMID

30675839

Abstract

Snakebite primarily affects rural subsistent farming populations in underdeveloped and developing nations. The annual number of deaths (100,000) and physical disabilities (400,000) of snakebite victims is a societal tragedy that poses a significant added socioeconomic burden to the society. Antivenom therapy is the treatment of choice for snakebite but, as testified by the continuing high rates of mortality and morbidity, too many rural tropical snakebite victims fail to access effective treatment. Here, we advocate for more basic research to better understand the pathogenesis of systemic and local envenoming and describe how research outcomes can identify novel snakebite therapeutic strategies with the potential to be more accessible and affordable to victims than current treatment.

Language: en