1Post-graduate cum Tutor, Forensic Medicine Department, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College & Hospital, Puducherry, India
2Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine Department, The Oxford Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, India
3Head of, Forensic Medicine Department, Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital & Post graduate Institute, Puducherry, India
*Corresponding author: Dr. Ananda Reddy, Associate professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, The Oxford Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore-562107. E-mail: fmreddy2@gmail.com. Mobile: +91-9845707755.
Online published on 8 January, 2016.
India is significantly contributing for the global magnitude of snakebites envenoming owing to its climate, thick population and outdoor occupational activities. Snakebite deaths are occupational hazards among poor rural agricultural communities.
This study aimed to assess epidemiological elements and autopsy findings constrained in fatal snakebites in this locality.
It's a cross sectional study of fatal snakebite cases autopsied at the Puducherry Government hospital mortuary from 2012 to 2014. Socio-demographic data were gathered from interviews, body findings were observed at autopsy and finally analysed the data.
Total 46 snakebite related autopsied cases were studied in the study centre. Highest incidence of snakebites were noticed in rural population, males in their third decades, Hindus, and poor. Most vulnerable were farming and gardening workers, many victims not received anti-snake venom and were died within 24hours. At autopsy, local findings like fang marks, redness and cellulitis were more significant than systemic findings.
Importing awareness & education among vulnerable on prevention, first aid, do's, don'ts and appropriate management of snakebite.
Snake bites, Fatalities, Envenomation, Fang marks
