Coral Snake Bites Research Articles

Envenomation by the Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius fulvius)

We gathered data on 39 victims of Eastern coral snake bite over a 12-year period. The most common situation resulting in snakebite was erroneous identification of the snake as the nonpoisonous scarlet king snake. While no patient died, several experienced severe envenomation, including bulbospinal respiratory paralysis. We found that neurologic symptoms may be delayed for 12 hours, and then may be precipitous. Envenomation occurs in 75% of the persons bitten by a coral snake. Antivenin is effective and should be intravenously administered early to patients who have been bitten by a positively identified coral snake, depending on the clinical presentation.

Preparation of a coral snake antivenin from goat serum

Abstract : A monovalent antivenin was prepared by immunizing goats with detoxified coral snake venom obtained by photooxidation with visible light in the presence of methylene blue. Goats inoculated with this attenuated venom produced an immunoglobulin which protected mice against many-fold doses of the unaltered venom. Neither local nor systemic effects were observed in goats or mice. The effective and harmless toxoid obtained could be used for active immunization, in suitable circumstances, as well as for the production of antisera for passive immunization or treatment of coral snakebites. (Author)

Coral snake venom: antibody response in rabbits.

CORAL snake venom is one of the most toxic venoms of American snakes1. Reports of coral snake bites in humans2,3 suggest the venom acts as a neurotoxin causing paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Experiments in our laboratory indicate that coral snake venom produces neurotoxic effects in various species of animals.

Coral Snake Bite

To the Editor: —I am both grateful and enlightened by the Drs. Feinbergs' comments on the allergic aspects of the antiserum discussed in our recent report, Coral Snake Bite. The intradermal skin test was carried out with a 1:100 dilution of the serum, but in a 0.1 cc volume, which, as they suggest, was probably the source of our highly sensitive reaction. The desensitization schedule over the 4-hr period met with such little difficulty that we were persuaded to give the recommended dose (120 cc) after 1.0 cc of undiluted antiserum was received with no harmful effects by the patient. As the doctors point out, this does not represent complete desensitization but, rather, reflects the great probability that the patient was not sensitive to horse serum.

Coral Snake Bite

To the Editor: —In the Dec 1 issue ofThe Journal( 182 :949), in the article Coral Snake Bite, the authors make some incidental comments which may be misinterpreted. They say: Three hours after the bite,... skin testing revealed the patient to be highly sensitive to horse serum, despite the fact that he had received almost 300 mg of cortisone. They say further that: ... 4½ hours after symptoms began, desensitization was completed, and the patient received 120 cc of antivenom.... patient was readmitted for 3 days, 10 days after the bite, complaining of joint pains... and it was felt that this represented a flare-up of the arthritis secondary to cortisone withdrawal. The last statement may be true, but there is also a good possibility that the joint pains, which are a common symptom of a sickness reaction, usually occurring about 10 days after the administration of horse serum

Coral Snake Bite

THERE HAS BEEN ample information recently presented in the literature concerning North American snake bites of the pit viper (family Crotalidae) variety. In contrast, the literature reveals only spotty information concerning the North American coral snake and its bite. Even less has been said of its treatment, and, to add confusion, there are the inevitable backwoods exaggerations and tales. Our recent experience in treating a near-fatal case of coral snake bite has, therefore, prompted this article. Along with the case report, we will attempt to unify the known facts, to put the problem into proper perspective, and to outline a logical approach to the management of this medical emergency. The North American coral snake belongs to the family Elapidae, genus<i>Micrurus</i>, and species fulvius. There are several subspecies marked by minor physical differences. The 2 main types are the southeastern (common) coral and the smaller western (Arizona) coral snake. Their