Holstege C P, Miller M B, Wermuth M, Furbee B, Curry S C
Indiana Poison Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, USA.
Crit Care Clin. 1997 Oct;13(4):889-921. doi: 10.1016/s0749-0704(05)70373-0.
Over 5000 Americans suffer from snake bites annually, and of these, nearly one quarter are from poisonous species. Although these cases are undeniably reported, death appears to occur in only a few cases each year, and often reflects delay in obtaining medical care. Two families of venomous snake indigenous to the United States account for most envenomations: Crotalidae (pit vipers or new world vipers) and Elapidae. This article focuses on the snakes of the Crotalidae family.
每年有超过5000名美国人遭受蛇咬，其中近四分之一是被有毒蛇类咬伤。尽管这些病例都有确切记录，但每年似乎只有少数人死亡，而且往往是由于就医延迟所致。美国本土有两个毒蛇科导致了大多数的蛇咬中毒事件：蝰蛇科（蝮蛇或新大陆蝰蛇）和眼镜蛇科。本文重点介绍蝰蛇科的蛇类。
