Research Article - Archives of General Internal Medicine (2023) Volume 7, Issue 4

Demographic and clinical features of snakebites among adults in Mukalla, Hadhramout

Background: Snakebite is a common medical emergency and an occupational hazard. The available data on the epidemiology of snakebite in the Hadhramout are sparse. It is a neglected disease afflicts the most impoverished inhabitants of the rural areas in the tropical countries. Objectives: To study demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, severity, and management of snakebite patients admitted to Ibn-Sina general hospital in Mukalla, Hadhramout. Methods: This retrospective study includes sixty-four of snakebite patients admitting in Ibn Sina general hospital from January 2022 to December 2022. The data included were demographic factors, clinical features, complication, severity grading, treatment and the outcome. Age is further sub grouped into decades and severity classify into three grades mild, moderate and severe envenomation. Results: The majority of patients were male (79.7% versus 20.3%), and the average age was 28.8 SD14.233 years. 15–35-year-olds are the most frequently affected age group (84.4%). 75% of the cases were located in Hadhramout coastal rural areas, 50% of which were in Mukalla rural areas. A bite is most frequently observed from April to September (76.5%). 51.6% of patients arrive at the hospital within 5 hours, and 68.8% stay for 2 days. The lower leg (71.9%) was the most frequently seen area of the bite. The severity of the illness and delay in hospital presentation were significantly correlated (p value = 0.00). Common presentations were local pain (97%), redness (62.5%), and swelling (60.9%), while bleeding, renal, and neurological manifestations are uncommon. No fatal cases have been reported, and 57.8% of cases are classified as mild envenomation. In all cases, the type of snake is unidentified. Anti-snake venom was administered in varying doses in almost all cases. Conclusion: Snakebite is a common occurrence in Hadhramout’s rural areas among adolescent males, which is similar to what has been observed in Southeast Asian and Arab countries, although there is little knowledge of the snake species there and no treatment guidelines. Public health education and efficient healthcare worker training are essential.

Author(s): Ahmed Mubarak Daakeek*, Ali Al-Zaaazaai

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