In Brazil, there are approximately 55 species of venomous snakes, that is: those that have venom, and also the ability to inoculate it. These are distributed in the Viperidae Families, being popularly known as jararacas, rattlesnakes and surucucus; and, elapidae, having the real corals as representatives.
Snake venoms can be of the type:
• proteolytic: causes inflammation, with the appearance of edema, blisters and, in many cases, necrosis;
• Coagulant: presents coagulation alterations, and bleeding from the gums, eyes and ears may occur;
• Myotoxic: injuries to skeletal muscle fibers, with the release of products that are later eliminated in the urine;
• Neurotoxic: acts on nerve endings, causing motor paralysis;
• hemorrhagic: coagulation changes occur.
Bothropic accidents, that is, those caused by jararacas, have hemorrhagic, coagulant and proteolytic action. The patient feels pain at the site, which may present edema; has bleeds and may have nausea, vomiting, sweating, and hypotension. In this case, the
Crotalic Accidents (rattlesnakes) have as characteristics neurotoxic, myotoxic and coagulant actions. The affected person may have double vision, nausea, muscle pain and dark urine. The pain is small or mild, and edema does not always form. The anticrotalic serum.
lacquer accidents, caused by the surucucus, have proteolytic, coagulant, hemorrhagic and neurotoxic manifestations. The patient has symptoms similar to bothropic accident, and also has double vision, pupil dilation and diarrhea. It is necessary to use the anti-lachetic or anti-bothropic-lachetic serum
elapide accidents (corals) have neurotoxic action. The patient has mild local pain and may have episodes of vomiting and progressive muscle weakness. In these cases, the antielapide serum.
There is also the antibotropicocrotalic serum (multipurpose, or anticrotalic/botropic), used against the venom of rattlesnakes or jararacas; it's the antibotropicolaquetico (antibotropic/lachetic), usually when it is not known if the snake responsible for the accident is a jararaca or surucucu.
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By Mariana Araguaia
Graduated in Biology
Brazil School Team
See more!
Curiosities about snakes and snakes.
Brazilian venomous snakes
Realms of the Living World -Biology -Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
ARAGUAIA, Mariana. "Ophidism and Anti-Ophidian Serum"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/ofidismo-soro-antiofidico.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
