Description of the Histological Features in Wounds of Snake Bite Aetiology

Dissanayakalage Ajith Dissanayake

doi:10.11648/j.ass.20170504.15

Abstract

The chronic wounds that develop following snake bites may display a spectrum of histological features that could be correlated with the type of venom injected. The pathological changes may provide useful information for the management of chronic wounds that develop following snake bites. This study intends to assess the histopathological changes seen in chronic wounds following Daboia russelii (Russell’s viper), Hypnale species (Hump nosed viper) and Naja naja (Cobra) bites and wounds of non snake bite aetiology. Inflammatory cells were seen in snake bite and non snake bite wounds. An intense mixed cellular inflammatory cell presence around the vessels could be seen. More lymphocytes and plasma cells were seen in wounds following snake bite and presence of more eosinophils was detected in wounds with other aetiology. Haemorrhagic areas in the dermis were seen in tissue samples taken from Naja naja and Hypnale species bite wounds. Vascular proliferation was predominant in all chronic wounds following snake bite. Granulation tissues were also more in chronic wounds following snake bites than the wounds of other aetiology. Among these three snake bites, haemorrhage was present mainly in Naja naja and Hypnale bite wounds compared to Daboia russelii.

Highlights

Snakes are distributed in all over the world and snake bite has been an important topic of medical value since antiquity as it affects millions of generation annually
Among the venomous terrestrial snakes of the Sri Lanka especially four species of snakes are responsible for deaths, include namely Russell’s viper, Cobra, Common krait and merrem’s hump-nosed viper, On the other way non venomous and mildly venomous snakes are responsible for large amount of hospital admissions
Tissue necrosis is more in snake bite following cobra (Naja naja) and Merrem’s hump- nosed viper (Hypnale hypnale) in Sri Lanka

Summary

Introduction

Snakes are distributed in all over the world and snake bite has been an important topic of medical value since antiquity as it affects millions of generation annually. Among the venomous terrestrial snakes of the Sri Lanka especially four species of snakes are responsible for deaths, include namely Russell’s viper, Cobra, Common krait and merrem’s hump-nosed viper, On the other way non venomous and mildly venomous snakes are responsible for large amount of hospital admissions. These four highly venomous snakes are well known to produce local reactions at the bite site including, local swelling, bleeding from bite site and systemic effects like, coagulation defects and neurological effects. When comparing toxic effect of these venomous snakes in Sri Lanka, Common krait produce purely neuro toxic symptoms, Cobra cause neurotoxicity and severe local necrosis and Merrum’s hump nosed viper produce severe local swelling and rarely renal failure [1, 4]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion