01742nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001653001800042653003900060653001500099100001800114700001500132700001200147700001500159700001500174700001400189245002600203856003300229490000600262520124200268022001401510       2017                            d10aInterventions10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aSnake bite1 aGutiérrez JM1 aCalvete JJ1 aHabib A1 aHarrison R1 aWilliams D1 aWarrell D00aSnakebite envenoming.  uhttps://tinyurl.com/y8meb3y80 v33 a<p>Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that kills &gt;100,000 people and maims &gt;400,000 people every year. Impoverished populations living in the rural tropics are particularly vulnerable; snakebite envenoming perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Snake venoms are complex mixtures of proteins that exert a wide range of toxic actions. The high variability in snake venom composition is responsible for the various clinical manifestations in envenomings, ranging from local tissue damage to potentially life-threatening systemic effects. Intravenous administration of antivenom is the only specific treatment to counteract envenoming. Analgesics, ventilator support, fluid therapy, haemodialysis and antibiotic therapy are also used. Novel therapeutic alternatives based on recombinant antibody technologies and new toxin inhibitors are being explored. Confronting snakebite envenoming at a global level demands the implementation of an integrated intervention strategy involving the WHO, the research community, antivenom manufacturers, regulatory agencies, national and regional health authorities, professional health organizations, international funding agencies, advocacy groups and civil society institutions.</p>
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