Dislich Mathias, Wohlsein Peter, Croukamp Anna Sophie, Neumann Ulrich
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2017 Sep;48(3):868-873. doi: 10.1638/2015-0284.1.
Snake bites represent a serious public health risk in many regions of the globe, especially in tropical areas. Clinical signs and postmortem changes are well described in human and other mammalian species. However, detailed case reports about venomous snake attacks in avian species are limited. This report describes presumptive fatal envenomations in three psittacines caused by pit vipers in a Brazilian zoo. In one case, a Brazilian lancehead (Bothrops moojeni) was captured in the aviary. In all three cases the dermis around the suspected snake bite area exhibited hemorrhages and edema. Histologically, degeneration and necrosis of subcutaneous musculature were observed. Lung, heart, and kidneys displayed focal hemorrhages. The local changes are similar to those described for mammalian patients including humans. However, except for the parenchymatous hemorrhages, additional external and internal gross and histopathological lesions were missing. After ruling out other causes, such as aggression and dicoumarinic intoxication, the presumptive diagnosis of snake envenomation was made. The smaller size and variabilities of pathophysiological effects of the venom in parrots might explain the different lesion patterns observed, compared with mammals. Possibly, the birds may have reacted differently to envenomation by pit vipers and died before the venom could cause macroscopic and histological changes often observed in mammals.
蛇咬伤在全球许多地区，尤其是热带地区，构成了严重的公共卫生风险。人类和其他哺乳动物物种的临床症状及死后变化已有详尽描述。然而，关于鸟类被毒蛇攻击的详细病例报告却很有限。本报告描述了巴西一家动物园中三只鹦鹉因蝰蛇咬伤而推定致死的情况。其中一例，一条巴西矛头蝮（Bothrops moojeni）在鸟舍中被捕获。在所有三例中，疑似蛇咬部位周围的真皮层均出现出血和水肿。组织学检查发现皮下肌肉组织有变性和坏死。肺、心脏和肾脏出现局灶性出血。局部变化与包括人类在内的哺乳动物患者所描述的相似。然而，除了实质出血外，未发现其他额外的外部和内部大体及组织病理学病变。在排除其他原因，如攻击和双香豆素中毒后，做出了蛇咬伤的推定诊断。与哺乳动物相比，鹦鹉毒液生理病理效应的较小规模和变异性可能解释了所观察到的不同病变模式。可能是这些鸟类对蝰蛇毒液的反应不同，在毒液能够引起哺乳动物中常见的宏观和组织学变化之前就死亡了。
