Mortality from snakebite envenomation: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Venomous snakebite is an important cause of preventable death. The World Health Organization (WHO) set a goal to halve snakebite mortality by 2030. We used verbal autopsy and vital registration data to model the proportion of venomous animal deaths due to snakes by location, age, year, and sex, and applied these proportions to venomous animal contact mortality estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. In 2019, 63,400 people (95% uncertainty interval 38,900–78,600) died globally from snakebites, which was equal to an age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of 0.8 deaths (0.5–1.0) per 100,000 and represents a 36% (2–49) decrease in ASMR since 1990. India had the greatest number of deaths in 2019, equal to an ASMR of 4.0 per 100,000 (2.3-5.0). We forecast mortality will continue to decline, but not sufficiently to meet the WHO’s goals. Improved data collection should be prioritized to help target interventions, improve burden estimation, and monitor progress.

Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Fungi Endofit Umbi Porang (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) sebagai Antibakteri

Medicinal plants such as porang (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) can produce bioactive compounds from plants-associated endophytes. Therefore, medicinal plants were a sources of isolation of endophytic fungi and endophytic fungi were a sources of secondary metabolites that have anticancer, antimalarial, antimicrobial, and so on. A Porang tuber has been used as a medicine for boils, medicine for sliced wounds and medicine for wounds due to venomous animal bites. The research was aimed to carry out isolation and characterization of endophytic fungi from porang tuber, and to test the ability of endophytic fungi from porang tuber as antibacterial against gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Isolation of endophytic fungi from porang tubers succeeded in getting five different fungi isolates. Based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, endophytic fungi isolated from porang tuber were members of the genus Curvularia, Penicillium, 2 isolates of Aspergillus, and 1 isolate that had not been identified. Porang endophytic fungi had antibacterial activity against S. aureus, but did not have antibacterial activity against E. coli bacteria. Endophytic fungi that had antibacterial activity were Curvularia sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp.

The adoption of the One Health approach to improve surveillance of venomous animal injury, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

Public health institutions with sectorized structure and low integration among field teams, old-fashioned practices such as paper-based storage system, and poorly qualified health agents have limited ability to conduct accurate surveillance and design effective timely interventions. Herein, we describe the steps taken by the Zoonosis Control Center of Foz do Iguaçu (CCZ-Foz) in the last 23 years to move from an archaic and sectorized structure to a modern and timely surveillance program embracing zoonotic diseases, venomous animal injuries, and vector-borne diseases epidemiology under the One Health approach. The full implementation of the One Health approach was based on 5 axes: (1) merging sectorized field teams; (2) adoption of digital solutions; (3) health agents empowerment and permanent capacitation; (4) social mobilization; and (5) active surveys. By doing so, notifications related to zoonotic diseases and venomous animals increased 10 and 21 times, respectively, with no impairment on arbovirus surveillance (major concern in the city). Open sources database (PostgreSQL) and software (QGis) are daily updated and create real-time maps to support timely decisions. The adoption of One Health approach increased preparedness for endemic diseases and reemerging and emerging threats such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Venomous animal accidents and phytotherapeutic measures adopted by the rural population in Alagoas backlands (Brazil)

Objectives: evaluate the epidemiological aspects of accidents with venomous animals, focusing on snakebites and phytotherapic measures adopted by the rural population in municipalities in the interior of Alagoas. Materials and methods: this is a quantitative, descriptive research, carried out between 2016 and 2017 in the Alagoas backlands. To select the participants, the “snowball” method was used. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed using Excel 2007 software, and the relationship between the variables was evaluated by Spearman's correlation. Results: of the 600 accidents with venomous animals reported, the most prevalent were caused by snakes (47.00%) and scorpions (31.44%), while 21.56% by other animals. A weak correlation (r = 0.33) was observed between the municipality and the occupation of the job. Of the 282 registered snakebites, the Viperidae family was predominant with 74.46% of the cases. Most accidents were with Bothrops/ Bothrocophias (36.52%) and Crotalus (28.37%) genus. The medicinal plants used were barbatimão (52.00%), paratudo (21.00%), bellyache bush (15.00%) and sweet potato (12.00%), applied as leaf maceration (60.00 %), tea compress (29.50%) and use of garrafada (10.50%). Conclusion: in the region of Alagoas, medicinal plants are used as a phytotherapic alternative to minimize the symptoms and effects of snake venom.

Alien spiders: First record of Loxosceles gaucho Gertsch, 1967 (Araneae: Sicariidae) in the Amazon region, Brazil

We present the first record for Loxosceles gaucho Gertsch, 1967 in the Amazonian region of Brazil. Four males, fifteen females and forty-nine immatures were collected in different places in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. This is the third species of Loxosceles reported in the Amazon region along with L. amazonica Gertsch, 1967, and L. similis Moenkhaus, 1898. This is the first record of an invasive species of a venomous animal in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, which is noteworthy due to its synanthropic habit, which increases the risk to the local population.

Venomous animal bites and stings and marine poisoning

This chapter provides the reader with essential information on venomous animals, and the risk they may pose in many humanitarian settings, especially in rural, remote, and tropical settings. Humanitarian providers will have the responsibility of preventing and treating venomous bites and stings both in the local community as well as among their team members, and this chapter provides the necessary information to help guide planning, decision-making, and management.

Microbial adaptation to venom is common in snakes and spiders

Animal venoms are considered sterile sources of antimicrobial compounds with strong membrane disrupting activity against multi-drug resistant bacteria. However, bite wound infections are common in developing nations. Investigating the oral and venom microbiome of five snake and two spider species, we evidence viable microorganisms potentially unique to venom for black-necked spitting cobras (Naja nigricollis). Among these are two novel sequence types ofEnterococcus faecalismisidentified by commonly used clinical biochemistry procedures asStaphylococcus; the genome sequence data of venom-specific isolates feature an additional 45 genes, at least 11 of which improve membrane integrity. Our findings challenge the dogma of venom sterility and indicate an increased primary infection risk in the clinical management of venomous animal bite wounds.One Sentence SummaryIndependent bacterial colonization of cobra venom drives acquisition of genes antagonistic to venom antimicrobial peptides.