Venom-Induced Consumption Coagulopathy Unresponsive to Antivenom After Echis carinatus sochureki Envenoming.

Abstract

Snakebite envenoming is a serious and life-threatening but neglected problem in the tropics. The focus in the Indian subcontinent is usually on the Indian cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), and Indian saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). The Indian polyvalent antivenom contains hyperimmunized horse antibodies against only these 4 species. However, regional intraspecific variations are important in viper envenomings, leading to marked differences in clinical presentation and response to the available polyvalent antivenom. Echis carinatus sochureki, a subspecies of Echis carinatus, has been linked to serious morbidity in the Thar Desert regions of Rajasthan, although consistent reports are lacking. We report a patient with prolonged venom-induced consumption coagulopathy owing to Echis carinatus sochureki envenoming who did not respond to Indian polyvalent antivenom in Jodhpur, India. Features of local and hemotoxic envenoming resolved after a week with supportive care. Echis sochureki venom has been shown to be different from Echis carinatus in terms of composition and in vitro neutralization by antivenom. Clinicians in the tropical desert regions must suspect Echis sochureki envenoming in the setting of nonresponsiveness to Indian polyvalent antivenom. This will help optimize antivenom use in these patients, preventing potentially life-threatening antivenom associated reactions. Because the usefulness of Indian polyvalent antivenom appears to be limited in this setting, there is an urgent need to advocate for region-specific antivenom or monovalent antivenom for this area.