Dangerous snakes, deadly snakes and medically important snakes

This correspondence argues that the dangerousness of a venomous snake species is not solely determined by the venom characteristics or the lethality of the snake, and recognizes that medical importance comprises a key variable as well. The medical importance of a snake is determined by several factors - including frequency of medical attention after a bite, local or systemic envenomation provoked by the bite, fatal bites, long term consequences, availability of antivenom therapy as well as the size of the population at risk - that may vary from one region to another.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Silva,Anjana
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Centro de Estudos de Venenos e Animais Peçonhentos (CEVAP/UNESP) 2013
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1678-91992013000100102
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Summary:This correspondence argues that the dangerousness of a venomous snake species is not solely determined by the venom characteristics or the lethality of the snake, and recognizes that medical importance comprises a key variable as well. The medical importance of a snake is determined by several factors - including frequency of medical attention after a bite, local or systemic envenomation provoked by the bite, fatal bites, long term consequences, availability of antivenom therapy as well as the size of the population at risk - that may vary from one region to another.