Specialist Registrar, Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Fellow, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), London, UK.
Trop Doct. 2022 Jan;52(1):142-146. doi: 10.1177/00494755211039638. Epub 2021 Sep 7.
are highly specialised snakes found across Southern Africa. Adapted for subterranean hunting of prey, snakes of the genus demonstrate a unique biting mechanism, with an ability to deliver venom via a single fang, protruded over an almost closed mouth in a side-to-side striking pattern. It is not possible to handle these snakes safely. can be mistaken for medically insignificant snakes and often occur in remote areas that may lead to delayed or reduced presentation to suitable care facilities. We here report a case of an envenomation in remote Southern Africa to the right ring finger from a single fang with significant complication. Medical, and subsequently, surgical management of a progression from discolouration at the bite site, to spreading oedema, blistering, local necrosis and secondary infection required amputation of the digit.
是一种在整个南非都有发现的高度专业化的蛇。它们适应了地下猎食的方式,属的蛇展示了一种独特的咬噬机制,能够通过单个毒牙将毒液输送出去,当它们以侧向的方式进行攻击时,毒牙会从几乎闭合的嘴中伸出。这些蛇是不可能安全处理的。它们可能会被误认为是医学上不重要的蛇,而且经常出现在偏远地区,这可能导致它们延迟或减少被送到合适的护理机构。在这里,我们报告了一个在遥远的南非南部的案例,一根毒牙从右无名指的单一毒牙部位引起了严重的并发症。从咬伤部位的变色,到扩散性水肿、水疱、局部坏死和继发性感染的进展,需要进行医疗和随后的手术治疗,最终导致了该手指的截肢。