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Elapidae (North American coral snake, many others world wide ... cobras, mambas ...)
Classification:
- family of reptiles that includes venemous snakes worldwide including cobras, mambas & North American coral snakes
Epidemiology:
- Eastern coral snakes are found in southeastern & gulf states & Arizona coral snakes in Arizona & New Mexico
- they are small, nocturnal, non aggressive snakes with brightly colored yellow, red & black rings
- they rarely bite humans
- Coral snake fangs are short & fixed, venom is injected via successive chewing movements
Pathology:
- coral snake venom is neurotoxic causing neuromuscular block, respiratory & bulbar paralysis
Clinical manifestations:
1) little to no local symptoms
2) systemic symptoms develop with 5 hours
a) numbness or weakness in region of bite
b) salivation
c) ataxia
d) dysphagia & dysarthria secondary to palatal & pharyngeal paralysis
e) ptosis
f) mydriasis
g) loss of deep tendon reflexes
h) respiratory paralysis
i) seizures
j) coma & death may occur 8-72 hours after severe envenomation
3) multiple shallow fang punctures
Management:
- North American coral snake antivenin available until Oct 2011
Related
North American coral snake antivenin
snakebite
General
snake reptile
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: chordate
SUBPHYLUM: vertebrate
ORGANISM-CLASS: REPTILIA
GENUS: Elapidae
References
- Saunders Manual of Medical Practice, Rakel (ed),
WB Saunders, Philadelphia, 1996, pg 1175-77
- Wikipdedia: Elapidae
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elapidae