Reactions to Snake Venom Antisera: Study of pattern, severity and management at
General Hospital, Anuradhapura

Acknowledgement: The author greatly appreciate the assistance received from Dr. P. Semage and the other medical staff of the GH Anuradhapura to conduct this study and Dr Vajira Weerasinghe, Dept of physiology, for his help in the statistical analysis, Dr. Mallika Sabanayagam, Dept of anatomy for valuable comments on the manuscript and Dr. Anusha Perera, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, for typing the manuscript.


References

1. Ratnapala R, Aloysius DJ, Ranasingha L. Deadly venomous land snakes of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Medical Journal 1983; 28: 112-117.

2. De Silva A, Ranasinghe L. Epidemiology of snake bite in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Medical Journal 1983; 20: 144 – 154.

3. Annual Health Bulletin of the Ministry of Health. Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1996.

4. Jeyarajah R. Russell’s viper bite in Sri Lanka: a study of 22 cases. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1984; 33 (3): 506- 510.

5. Karunaratne KE de S, Anandadas JA. The use of antivenom in snake bite poisoning. Ceylon Medical Journal 1973; 1: 37-43.

6. Theakston, RDG, Philip RE, Warrell DA, Yamuna Galagedara, Abeysekara DTDJ, Dissanayake P, De Silva A, Aloysius DJ. Envenoming by the common krait (Bangarus caeruleus) and Sri Lankan Cobra; Efficasy and complication of therapy with Haffkin antivenom. Transaction of Royal society of Tropical Medicine and Hygine 1990; 84: 301 - 308.

7. Seneviratne SL, Opanayake CJ, Ratnayake NSL, Sarath Kumara KE,Sugathadasa AM,Weerasooriya n, Wickrama WASS, Gunathilake SB, de Siva HJ. Use of antivenom serum in snake bite: a prospective study of hospital practice in the Gampaha district. Ceylon Medical Journal 2000; 45: 65-68.

8. Ariyaratnam A, Meyer WP, Perera G,Eddleston M, Kularatne SAM, Attapattu W, Sherief R, Richards AM, Theakston RDG, Warrell DA. A new monospecific ovine Fab fragment antivenom for treatment of envenoming by the Sri Lankan Russell’s viper: a prelimenary dose finding and pharmacokinetic study. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1999; 61: 259-265.

9. Otero-Pantino R, Cardoso JL, Higashi HG, Nunes V, Diaz A, Toro MF, Garcia ME, Moreno MC, Castaneda N Silva Diaz Jf, Murcia M, Cardenas SY,Dias da Silva WD. A randomized, blind, comparative trial of one pepsin-digested and two whole IgG antivenom for Bothrope snake bites in Uraba, Colombia. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1998; 58(2): 183-189.

10. Malsit P, Warrell DA, Chanthavanich P, Viravan C, Mongkolsapaya J, Singhthong B, Supich C. Prediction, prevention, and mechanism of early (anaphylactic) antivenom reactions in victims of snake bites. British Medical Journal1986; 292:17-20.


13
Next Page
Previous Page