Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana
INTRODUCTION: the burden of disease represented by snakebites is widely underestimated and often neglected public health problem in the tropics. There is insufficient epidemiological data to guide distribution of antivenin and proper management of venomous snakebites. We describe the presentation, m...
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| Format: | Article |
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The Pan African Medical Journal
2014-10-01
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| Series: | The Pan African Medical Journal |
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https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/19/219/pdf/219.pdf
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| author | Damien Punguyire Frank Baiden Josephat Nyuzaghl Aaron Hultgren Yvonne Berko Stephan Brenner Sari Soghoian George Adjei Anjali Niyogi Rachel Moresky |
| author_facet | Damien Punguyire Frank Baiden Josephat Nyuzaghl Aaron Hultgren Yvonne Berko Stephan Brenner Sari Soghoian George Adjei Anjali Niyogi Rachel Moresky |
| author_sort | Damien Punguyire |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION: the burden of disease represented by snakebites is widely underestimated and often neglected public health problem in the tropics. There is insufficient epidemiological data to guide distribution of antivenin and proper management of venomous snakebites. We describe the presentation, management and outcome of snakebites in two district hospitals in Ghana. METHODS: using data collection sheet, we prospectively documented information on all snakebite victims presenting at two Ghanaian district hospitals from 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011. RESULTS: 163 snakebites representing incidence of 92/100,000 were recorded with mean age of 24 (16SD) years. 62.0% were males and 41.7% were farmers. Most bites occurred in April (14.3%), June (12.4%) and November (12.4%) and had occurred when victims were involved in farm-related activities (50.3%). Average time of presentation after snakebite was 3.6 (1.0 SD) hours and commonest clinical presentations were pain (93.0%), swelling (84.0%) and bleeding (51%). Of the total cases 76.7% were given antivenon, 96.3% were given antibiotics, 91.4% corticosteroids and 58.3% antihistamines. No mortality was recorded. CONCLUSION: provision of protocols and their strict adherence in the management of snakebites is required to limit unwarranted use of antibiotics and steroids in the management of snakebite. We recommend evaluation of all antivenins imported for management of snakebites to ascertain their effectiveness so as to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with snakebites in this region. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1937-8688 1937-8688 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T18:52:56Z |
| publishDate | 2014-10-01 |
| publisher | The Pan African Medical Journal |
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| series | The Pan African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-04fe5ff2888544b9b8fef41eca6078bc2022-12-22T00:15:20ZengThe Pan African Medical JournalThe Pan African Medical Journal1937-86881937-86882014-10-011921910.11604/pamj.2014.19.219.52675267Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in GhanaDamien Punguyire0Frank Baiden1Josephat Nyuzaghl2Aaron Hultgren3Yvonne Berko4Stephan Brenner5Sari Soghoian6George Adjei7Anjali Niyogi8Rachel Moresky9 Kintampo Municipal Hospital, Kintampo, Ghana Kintampo Health Research Center, Ghana Bole District Hospital, Bole, Ghana New York University Medical Center, New York, USA Kintampo Health Research Center, Ghana Institute of Public Health, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelber, Heidelberg, Germany Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, United States Kintampo Health Research Center, Ghana Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States Malman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, USA INTRODUCTION: the burden of disease represented by snakebites is widely underestimated and often neglected public health problem in the tropics. There is insufficient epidemiological data to guide distribution of antivenin and proper management of venomous snakebites. We describe the presentation, management and outcome of snakebites in two district hospitals in Ghana. METHODS: using data collection sheet, we prospectively documented information on all snakebite victims presenting at two Ghanaian district hospitals from 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011. RESULTS: 163 snakebites representing incidence of 92/100,000 were recorded with mean age of 24 (16SD) years. 62.0% were males and 41.7% were farmers. Most bites occurred in April (14.3%), June (12.4%) and November (12.4%) and had occurred when victims were involved in farm-related activities (50.3%). Average time of presentation after snakebite was 3.6 (1.0 SD) hours and commonest clinical presentations were pain (93.0%), swelling (84.0%) and bleeding (51%). Of the total cases 76.7% were given antivenon, 96.3% were given antibiotics, 91.4% corticosteroids and 58.3% antihistamines. No mortality was recorded. CONCLUSION: provision of protocols and their strict adherence in the management of snakebites is required to limit unwarranted use of antibiotics and steroids in the management of snakebite. We recommend evaluation of all antivenins imported for management of snakebites to ascertain their effectiveness so as to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with snakebites in this region. https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/19/219/pdf/219.pdf antivenonenvenomationsnakebitesepidemiologysub-saharan africa |
| spellingShingle | Damien Punguyire Frank Baiden Josephat Nyuzaghl Aaron Hultgren Yvonne Berko Stephan Brenner Sari Soghoian George Adjei Anjali Niyogi Rachel Moresky Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana The Pan African Medical Journal antivenon envenomation snakebites epidemiology sub-saharan africa |
| title | Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana |
| title_full | Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana |
| title_short | Presentation, management, and outcome of snake-bite in two district hospitals in Ghana |
| title_sort | presentation management and outcome of snake bite in two district hospitals in ghana |
| topic | antivenon envenomation snakebites epidemiology sub-saharan africa |
| url |
https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/19/219/pdf/219.pdf
|
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