CURIOSIDADES (en inglés)
Snakes routinely make the top 10 list of things people are afraid of,
so it might surprise many of you to know that about 85% of snakes
worldwide are not venomous.
In fact, of the 2,700 known species of snakes, only about 30 of them
pose any kind of danger to humans. But, given the amount of damage that a
snake bite can inflict, it’s probably not very surprising that a few
are giving the others a bad reputation.
Take Daboia russelii:
an old world viper found throughout India and surrounding countries.
Each year, Russell’s Vipers are responsible for thousands of deaths.
Though there is a an effective antivenin available in the region, the
widespread poverty and the fact that most bites happen in rural areas
mean that not all victims are able to receive it.
Immediately at the onset of the bite there is pain in the area,
though blood begins to show up in the mouth within minutes and blood
pressure will drop. Skin and muscle near the bite can begin to turn
necrotic. For nearly a third of untreated cases, disseminated
intravascular coagulation (blood clots) can occur and cause failure of
the kidneys and other organs, and may ultimately result in death.
Researchers are interested in collecting viper venom for the
development of antivenins and also hope to use the coagulating
properties to develop medication for trauma and surgical patients from
bleeding out.
Check out this video that shows what a single drop of the viper’s venom can do to blood:
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