Nhachi C F, Kasilo O M
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Avondale, Harare.
J Appl Toxicol. 1994 May-Jun;14(3):191-3. doi: 10.1002/jat.2550140308.
Over a period of 2 years (January 1991 to December 1992) 274 cases of snake bite were admitted to hospital in the eight provinces of Zimbabwe. Of these patients, 54% were males and 88% belonged to the 6-40-year age group. Five deaths (1.8% of the total cases) were reported. The majority of snake bites (63%) occurred at night (between 6.30 p.m. and midnight) and over 74% took place during the hot rainy season, i.e. between November and April. In over 58% of the cases the victim accidentally stepped on the snake, the snake being cobra in 37%, puff adder in 20% and the black and green mamba in 18% of the cases. Most of the bites occurred on the leg, below the knee. Treatment of snake envenomation consisted mainly of the administration of antibiotics (151 cases), analgesics (144 cases), antivenom tropical snake polyvalent (ATT) (89 cases), antitoxoid tetanus (TT) (61 cases), antihistamines (47 cases) and traditional medicines (43 cases). This study indicates that snake envenomation in rural Zimbabwe is common but fatalities are relatively rare.
在两年期间（1991年1月至1992年12月），津巴布韦八个省共有274例蛇咬伤患者入院。这些患者中，54%为男性，88%属于6至40岁年龄组。报告了5例死亡（占总病例的1.8%）。大多数蛇咬伤事件（63%）发生在夜间（下午6点30分至午夜之间），超过74%发生在炎热的雨季，即11月至4月之间。在超过58%的病例中，受害者不小心踩到了蛇，其中37%的蛇为眼镜蛇，20%为鼓腹咝蝰，18%为黑曼巴和绿曼巴。大多数咬伤发生在腿部膝盖以下。蛇咬伤中毒的治疗主要包括使用抗生素（151例）、镇痛药（144例）、热带多价抗蛇毒血清（ATT）（89例）、破伤风抗毒素（TT）（61例）、抗组胺药（47例）和传统药物（43例）。这项研究表明，津巴布韦农村地区的蛇咬伤中毒情况很常见，但死亡率相对较低。
