For guidance on treating North American snake bites, including indications for giving antivenom, specific antivenom to use, and dosing, consult a regional poison control center (in the United States, call 1-800-222-1222) or contact a physician with expertise in treating venomous snake bites. | |||
Common name | Scientific name | Common effects | Less common effects |
Rattlesnakes | Crotalus or Sistrurus spp |
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Cottonmouths (water moccasins) | Agkistrodon piscivorus |
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Copperheads | Agkistrodon contortrix | ||
Coral snakes | Micrurus spp |
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* Hemotoxicity includes thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, prolonged prothrombin time (PT), and/or bleeding.
¶ Neurotoxic effects include perioral and extremity paresthesias and myokymia (rippling muscle movement often seen in the face and proximal extremity muscle groups; frequently characterized as fasciculations in snakebite literature). Myokymia or fasciculations are most often reported after bites by the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) but also occur after envenomation by many western rattlesnake species. Severe weakness and paralysis after a rattlesnake bite are rare but associated with envenomation by some populations of Mohave rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) and Southern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus helleri).
Δ Neurotoxicity after coral snakebites may occur more than 12 hours after the bite. Initial signs include ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, dysarthria, and dysphagia.Do you want to add Medilib to your home screen?