&quote;Venomous? Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes (eBook)

A Critical Analysis of Risk and Management of &quote;Colubrid? Snake Bites

Daniel E Keyler, David A. Warrell, Scott A Weinstein (Autoren)

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2011 | 1. Auflage
364 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-0-12-387755-0 (ISBN)

Infos

This book is the first significant contribution to thoroughly examine the potential hazards associated with snakes of the former family, Colubridae. This family contained >65% of living snake species (approximately 3,000 taxa) and has recently been split into multiple families. Many of these snakes produce oral secretions that contain toxins and other biologically-active substances. A large variety of these snakes figure in the pet industry, yet little documented information or formal study of their potential medical importance has been published. Therefore, although the possible medical importance of many of these species has been subjected to speculation since the mid-nineteenth century, there is a limited amount of useful descriptive information regarding the real hazard (or lack thereof) of snakes belonging to this diverse, artificial family.

There is a need for 'one-stop shopping' offering information regarding their possible toxicity and clinical relevance as well as recommendations for medical management of their bites. This book is the first synthesis of this information and includes evidence-based risk assessment, hazard rankings and specific recommendations regarding important species, many common in captivity.

• Fills a gap in the toxinological, medical and herpetological literature by providing a comprehensive review of this entire assemblage of snakes, with particular attention given to their capacity, real or rumored, to cause harm to humans
• A patient-centered, evidence-based approach is applied to analyzing documented case reports of bites inflicted by approximately 100 species.
• Clinical management of medically significant bites from non-front-fanged colubroids is methodically reviewed, and specific recommendations are provided

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This book is the first significant contribution to thoroughly examine the potential hazards associated with snakes of the former family, Colubridae. This family contained >65% of living snake species (approximately 3,000 taxa) and has recently been split into multiple families. Many of these snakes produce oral secretions that contain toxins and other biologically-active substances. A large variety of these snakes figure in the pet industry, yet little documented information or formal study of their potential medical importance has been published. Therefore, although the possible medical importance of many of these species has been subjected to speculation since the mid-nineteenth century, there is a limited amount of useful descriptive information regarding the real hazard (or lack thereof) of snakes belonging to this diverse, artificial family. <p>There is a need for "e;one-stop shopping"e; offering information regarding their possible toxicity and clinical relevance as well as recommendations for medical management of their bites. This book is the first synthesis of this information and includes evidence-based risk assessment, hazard rankings and specific recommendations regarding important species, many common in captivity.</p><ul> <li>Fills a gap in the toxinological, medical and herpetological literature by providing a comprehensive review of this entire assemblage of snakes, with particular attention given to their capacity, real or rumored, to cause harm to humans</li> <li>A patient-centered, evidence-based approach is applied to analyzing documented case reports of bites inflicted by approximately 100 species</li> <li>Clinical management of medically significant bites from non-front-fanged colubroids is methodically reviewed, and specific recommendations are provided</li></ul>

Inhalt

Front Cover 1
“Venomous” Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Dedication 10
Preface 14
Acknowledgments 18
About the Authors 20
Introduction 26
Chapter 1. An Overview of the Artificial Assemblage, the Colubridae: A Brief Summary of Taxonomic Considerations 30
Chapter 2. Differences Between Buccal Gland Secretion and Associated Delivery Systems of “True” Venomous Snakes and “Colubrid” Snakes: Low- Versus High-Pressure… 36
2.1 Basic Considerations Regarding Gland Structure and Function 36
2.2 Overview of Hypotheses for the Evolution of Venom-Delivery Systems 45
2.3 Theories Considering the Evolution of Canaliculated Fangs and Enlarged Grooved Teeth 47
2.4 Duvernoy’s Glands and Venom Glands: A Question of Semantics? 54
Chapter 3. A Summary of the Toxinology of Duvernoy’s Secretions: A Brief Overview of the History of Colubrid Oral Secretion Research 56
Chapter 4. Medically Significant Bites by “Colubrid” Snakes 62
4.1 Typical Features of Documented Cases and Evidence-Based Risk 62
4.2 Some Representative Genera: Typical Features of Bites and an Overview of Their Natural History and Toxinology 165
4.3 Life-Threatening and Fatal Cases: “Venomous Colubrids” and Assessment of Evidence-Based Risk 207
4.4 Aberrant Cases and Representative Cases Without Clear Etiology: A Critical Assessment of Risk 228
4.5 Pitfalls Noted in Documented Cases: Differentiating Perceived Versus Evidence-Based Risk 257
4.6 Recommendations for Management of Medically Significant “Colubrid” Bites 270
Chapter 5. Summary and Conclusions 300
Appendix A: Representative Unverified Cases of Medically Significant “Colubrid” Bites Posted on the Internet 306
Case 1. Western Hognose Snake, Heterodon nasicus 306
Case 2. Jackson’s Black Tree Snake, Thrasops jacksoni 307
Case 3. Mangrove Snake, Boiga dendrophila 309
Appendix B: Representative Lethal Potency Ranges and Yields of Duvernoy’s Secretions and Venoms from Selected Non-Front-Fanged Colubroid Snakes 312
Appendix C: Strategies of Management of Gram-Negative Septicemia: Are There Lessons to Be Learned for Managing Venom-Induced Coagulopathies? 316
Appendix D: Legal Considerations Regarding Private Ownership of Venomous Snakes (Including Hazard Level 1 “Colubrids”): An Opinionated Essay 318
Appendix E: List of Osteological Specimens Examined at AMNH 322
Additional Recommended Reading 324
Aiding the Envenomated Patient and Further Information: Societies, Journals, Toxinology Courses, and Associated Contacts 324
A Call for Cases 330
Bibliography 332

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 20.6.2011
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Gesundheitsfachberufe
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Medizinische Fachgebiete ► Pharmakologie / Pharmakotherapie
• Themenwelt: Studium ► 2. Studienabschnitt (Klinik) ► Pharmakologie / Toxikologie
• ISBN-10: 0-12-387755-5 / 0123877555
• ISBN-13: 978-0-12-387755-0 / 9780123877550