Disseminated intravascular coagulation after cerastes vipera envenomation in a 3-year-old child: a case report.
This study presents a case of severe disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in a 3-year-old child following envenomation by the snake, Cerastes vipera. A literature search revealed very few similar cases. We describe a child who was bitten in his left foot by a snake identified as a C. vipera. Initial symptoms were relatively benign. Local signs included a hemorrhagic vesicle at the site of the bite with marked swelling of the entire leg. Twenty-four hours later, the child developed severe bleeding due to DIC, which lasted 5 days and required repeated administration of blood and blood products and total exchange transfusion. The patient was discharged from the hospital after 7 days in good condition. To the best of our knowledge, severe DIC following envenomation by a C. vipera has not been previously described in the literature. Treatment was essentially supportive. The case report indicates that a specific antivenin against this snake's venom should be made available in our area.
Lifshitz
M
M
Toxicology Unit, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. matyl@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Kapelushnik
J
J
Ben-Harosh
M
M
Sofer
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012909:Snake Bites; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D017819:Viperidae
D014757:Viper Venoms