DEALING WITH SNAKES

FOR some reason, this has been one of our busiest snakebite seasons in many years and doctors in high-risk areas have had their hands full. Most bites happen in the early evening between January and April/May when snakes are accidentally trodden on.

Southern Africa has 173 different types of snakes and about 10% of them are considered potentially lethal. The snake that accounts for most serious snakebites is the Mozambique spitting cobra, also known as the M’fezi, followed by the puff adder, Rhombic night adder and Bibron’s stiletto snake. These snakes account for over 90% of all snakebites and their venom is largely cytotoxic – causing pain, swelling, blistering and in severe bites, tissue damage. Fatal bites are rare, even from puff adders.

The Mozambique spitting cobra is common where it occurs, hunting in the late afternoon but largely at night and travels quite far in search of food. It often accidentally ends up in houses and rooms in game lodges where people are bitten while asleep. This happens to a lot of babies and young children. Victims may need urgent treatment with antivenom and can suffer severe tissue damage.

Puff adders are slow-moving and are found