Snakebite envenoming is a neglected public health issue in many tropical and subtropical countries. To diagnosis and treat snakebites may be challenging to health care personnel since sufficient information has not been yet provided. This review presents the clinical, therapeutic, and laboratory aspects of Crotalus durissus (South American rattlesnakes) victims. The clinical setting may show local effects such as little or no pain, mild edema, and recurrent erythema. In contrast, the systemic effects may be quite remarkable, such as changes due to neurological damage, intense rhabdomyolysis, incoagulability of the blood, and variations in the peripheral blood elements. The main complication is acute kidney injury. The appropriate treatment depends mainly on the correct recognition of the aggressor snake and the symptoms expressed by the victim. Rattlesnake venom can cause irreparable damage and lead to death. Therefore, a prompt diagnosis allows the immediate onset of proper serotherapy.

Snake envenomations are responsible for a high percentage of deaths, as these toxic proteins induce severe local and systemic effects. In Brazil, the Bothrops genus is responsible for a satisfactory fraction of accidents, including Bothropsalternatus, recognized as urutu, whose venom is capable of inducing severe myotoxicity. In this work, the BaMtox toxin was purified through a combination of three chromatographic steps, ion exchange in DEAE-Sepharose, affinity in Benzamidine Sepharose 6B columns and reversed-phase HPLC chromatography on a C18 column. The BaMtox toxin has a molecular mass of approximately 14kDa and did not show phospholipase activity or hemorrhage. On the other hand, it induced edema and a significant increase in plasma levels of the creatine kinase enzyme. Thus, the protein called BaMtox is able to induce myotoxicity.

Objetivo: Observar o perfil e os sintomas de vítimas de acidentes ofídicos atendidas na Cidade de Santa Vitória, Minas Gerais, Brasil, de 2000 a 2011. Metodologia: Os dados foram obtidos por meio de formulários fornecidos pela Secretaria Municipal de Saúde. Resultados: Foram identificados 118 casos, com aumento dos acidentes, durante os meses mais quentes e chuvosos do ano. A faixa etária mais afetada variou dos 20 aos 30 anos, homens, com baixa escolaridade e trabalhadores rurais. Os membros mais afetados foram os inferiores, o gênero responsável pela maioria dos acidentes foi o Bothrops e a gravidade da maioria dos casos foi classificada como leve. Conclusão: Esses dados podem servir como indicadores de planejamento e implementação de medidas preventivas contra novos acidentes ofídicos. DESCRITORES: Serpentes. Acidente Ofídico. Prevalência. Saúde Pública.