Snakebites: The hidden health crisis that kills 200 people a day

Snake bites kill between 81,000 and 138,000 people and disable another 400,000 each year. This problem is exacerbated by the global shortage of snake venom, particularly in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, where adequate health care facilities are scarce.

In the United Kingdom, Wellcome Trust, a charitable research organization, snakebites cause more death and disability than any other neglected tropical disease.

"Snakebite is – or should be – a treatable condition.With adequate access to venom, the chances of survival are high," said Professor Mike Turner, Scientific Director of Wellcome.

"Although venomous snakes still bite, there is no reason for so many people to die."

It aims to halve the number of deaths and disabilities caused by snake bites by 2030 by investing $ 136 million in community education to prevent bites, render more effective treatments and to improve health care systems.

The Wellcome Trust is also behind this initiative, investing £ 80 million ($ 101.3 million) over the next seven years. According to Wellcome, this is a dramatic change of fortune for the sector, since only £ 30 million ($ 38 million) was invested over the previous decade.

Ancient treatments

Scientists say new approaches are needed to produce a safer, cheaper and more effective anti-venom.

The current method has changed little since the 19th century: the venom is extracted from a snake and administered to a horse or other animal in small doses to provoke an immune response. The blood of the animal is taken and purified to obtain antibodies that act against the venom.

"This comes from a horse, and the horse protein injection into humans is not without risks.There is a relatively high rate of adverse effects," he said. They are mild, like rashes and itching, or more serious, such as anaphylaxis. said Phil Price, Wellcome's science on snake bites.

"Anti-venom drugs are far from perfect, many are not clinically tested the same as other drugs."

One area of ​​research that Wellcome scientists plan to continue with this new funding is a universal anti-venom. They will also examine alternatives to venom and make existing development methods more rigorous.

Among the snakes considered to be the most lethal are the saw-billed viper found in Africa, the Middle East, India and Pakistan, and the Russell viper, found in India and Southeast Asia, said Price .

Global shortage

According to Wellcome, the world has less than half of the anti-venom it needs. And the anti-venom available in some places can often be ineffective because it is not suitable for local species; anti-venoms have been developed for only about 60% of the world's venomous snakes.

This problem is particularly acute in Africa, where up to 90% of the anti-venom is considered ineffective. This can make people wary and turn to local healers rather than hospitals.

And when it is available, it can also be prohibitively expensive, plunging poor victims into deeper situations. On average, an anti-venom vial costs $ 160 and a full treatment usually requires multiple vials, explains Wellcome.

"If you spend your income to pay for treatment, transportation and rehabilitation, you need something – children's textbooks or food for the family," said Dr. Bernadette Abela-Ridder. of the WHO Department for the Control of the Neglected. Tropical diseases.

In addition to producing better antivenoms, WHO plans to strengthen health care systems, prevention and education by ensuring that people can recognize the venomous snakes in their community and by doing simple behavioral changes, such as wearing shoes.