Snakebites in the Americas: a Neglected Problem in Public Health

Purpose of Review: We explored the current priority given to snakebites in 26 countries of the Americas. To describe the epidemiological characteristics of the snakebites in the Americas and the Caribbean, we looked at information collected from epidemiological sources, publications, and available from PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS. In the case of Honduras, some gray literature (theses and conference abstracts) was obtained through local networks. We also aimed at obtaining any reference made in those reports with regard to the most common snake species in the region and their toxin and the physical and mental disability in snakebite victims.

Recent Findings: Many countries do not keep official reports of the snakebite incidents. In a few countries, growing knowledge of venom toxicology is leading to research and development of new antivenoms. Additionally, interest is increasing in the identification of natural treatment for symptoms caused by snake venoms, especially inflammation, pain, and blood loss. There are opportunities to undertake rigorous examination of traditional treatments, which could be incorporated to the standard of care.

Summary: Snakebite surveillance needs improvement in several countries, and access to prompt treatment needs to be facilitated. With a few exceptions, scientific research is scarce in most Latin American countries. For prevention and management initiatives, it is important to highlight that the typical profile of the snakebite victim is a young male farmer with low literacy.