title: Parallels between Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) and hump-nosed viper (Hypnale species) bites in the central hills of Sri Lanka amidst the heavy burden of unidentified snake bites.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology of snake bite in the region and attempt to compare proven Russell's viper with hump-nosed viper bites.
  
  
  METHODS
  All snake bite admissions to the Toxicology Unit of Teaching Hospital Peradeniya over three year from 2006 were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 776 snakebites, 665(86%) were unidentified and non-envenomed. Hump-nosed viper and Russell's viper accounted for 55(7%) and 40(5%) bites respectively, of them, incriminated snakes were found in 36(65%) and 19(48%) cases. The cobra bites-5, krait bites-0. The median ages: Russell's viper bites-41(range 16-66), hump-nosed viper bites-42(range 15-75). The gender incidence, time of bite (>58% daytime) were similar. In hump-nosed viper bite; upper limb involved in 13(36%), happened at home garden in 22(61%), none in paddy fields. In Russell's viper bite; 6(33%) occurred in paddy fields. Dry bites were similar at 5%. In hump-nosed viper bite: local effects 94%, coagulopathy 3%, acute renal failure 3% and one patient died. In Russell's viper bite; local effects 84%, coagulopathy 53%, neurotoxicity 21%. Abdominal pain occurred only in Russell's viper bites 10(53%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overwhelming numbers of unidentified, non-envenomed snakebites are common in the central hills. Some distinctive differences were observed between Russell's viper and hump-nosed viper bites.
authors.affiliation: Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Keerthi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kularatne
authors.forename: Sudhara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Budagoda
authors.forename: Kalana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maduwage
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naser
authors.forename: Rangith
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumarasiri
authors.forename: Senanayake
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kularatne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017840:Daboia; D012737:Sex Factors; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D017819:Viperidae; D055815:Young Adult