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Snakebites in Tamil Nadu, India

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Clinical Toxinology in Asia Pacific and Africa

Part of the book series: Toxinology ((TOXI,volume 2))

Abstract

Snakebite is prevalent all over India including the state of Tamil Nadu. It is observed in all ages and more among men and women involved in agricultural and plantation works. Often encountered snakebites in Tamil Nadu are in the order of viper group, krait, and cobra. Sea snake bites are extremely rare.

The challenges faced by the state toward the management of snakebite were related to community, policy, transport, governance, and therapy. The government has overcome these challenges through the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project. The health-care professionals and providers were trained to provide appropriate treatment and care. The success was evidenced by early health-seeking behavior; provision of free transport facilities and specific treatment at primary, secondary, and tertiary health institutions as per guidelines; reduced bite-to-needle time, referral rate, morbidity, and mortality; and increased consumption of anti-snake venom. During the period April 2011 to March 2013, the overall referral rate and death rate were 3–5 and 0.6 % respectively in non-teaching hospitals/health centers, and consumption of anti-snake venom of the state during that period was 435,815 vials (10 ml). The services and supply of materials toward treatment are monitored at district and state level, and difficulties or deficiencies encountered were rectified.

The symptoms, signs, complications, diagnostic aspects, treatment, snakebite in special situations including pregnancy, prevention, community aspects, and futurology are discussed. The political commitment, effective bureaucracies, and good governance at health department have saved the lives of many snakebite victims.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Internal Medicine, Madras Medical College and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, TN, India

    Rajendiran Chinnasamy

  2. Billroth Hospitals, 43, Lakshmi Talkies Road, Shenoy Nagar, Chennai, 600030, TN, India

    Rajendiran Chinnasamy

  3. Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Sri Gokulam Hospitals and Research Institute, Salem, TN, India

    Senthilkumaran Subramanian

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Irungalur, 621 105, Trichirapalli, TN, India

    Thirumalaikoluandusubramanian Ponniah

Authors
  1. Rajendiran Chinnasamy
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  2. Senthilkumaran Subramanian
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  3. Thirumalaikoluandusubramanian Ponniah
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajendiran Chinnasamy .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Venom and Toxin Research Programme Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    P. Gopalakrishnakone

  2. Professor of Medicine (Rtd), Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Abul Faiz

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Ravindra Fernando

  4. Department of Clinical Medicine Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Christeine Ariaranee Gnanathasan

  5. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit Department of Medicine, Bayero University Kano Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

    Abdulrazaq Garba Habib

  6. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chen-Chang Yang

Appendices

Appendix I: Algorithmic Approach to Snake Bite at Primary Level

figure a

Appendix II: Algorithmic Approach to Snake Bite

figure b

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Chinnasamy, R., Subramanian, S., Ponniah, T. (2015). Snakebites in Tamil Nadu, India. In: Gopalakrishnakone, P., Faiz, A., Fernando, R., Gnanathasan, C., Habib, A., Yang, CC. (eds) Clinical Toxinology in Asia Pacific and Africa. Toxinology, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6386-9_15

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