JIST

Abstract

Snake bite is a common medical emergency and an occupational hazard, more so in tropical India, where farming is a major source of employment. Every year, 50,000 Indians die in 2, 50,000 incidents of snake bite, despite the fact that India is not home for the largest number of venomous snakes in the world, nor is there a shortage of anti - snake venom in the country. This retrospective study was done on the cases which were brought with alleged history of poisoning at the emergency department of M.V.J Medical College and Research Hospital, Hosakote, Bangalore, during the period January 2010 to December with the objective of evaluating the pattern of snakebites at a tertiary care hospital and to study the socio demographic profile of the same. Most of the victims of snakebites were aged between 21-30 years, with males outnumbering females mostly from the rural area; bites from uniden­tified snakes were more common than identified species.