\u00a0<\/p>\n
Snakebite
\n envenoming is a common problem in many parts of the world, but little
\nis known about its magnitude in the Arab countries of the Middle East,
\nwhere cases are not widely reported.\n<\/p>\n
The
\n aim is to halve the numbers of deaths and cases of disability due to
\nsnakebite envenoming over the next 12 years through a programme that
\ntargets affected communities and their health systems, and by ensuring
\naccess to safe, effective treatment through increased cooperation,
\ncollaboration and partnership at all levels.\n<\/p>\n
An
\n interdisciplinary group of zoologists and snakebite experts recently
\nreviewed existing English and Arabic literature on terrestrial venomous
\nsnakes and snake bites in Arab countries of the Middle East providing an
\n up to date and comprehensive view of the situation in the region. <\/p>\n
With The Iraq, \u201cCountries There Imported Indian Vins \u201cSnake Venom Antitoxin (Biosnake)\u201d is claimed to neutralise Naja haje, Naja nigricollis<\/em> and Cerastes cerastes venoms<\/em>, \u201cCurrent Adequate \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n a wide range of habitats, the review found that the region hosts 19
\nspecies of terrestrial venomous snakes of varying medical importance.
\nThese include 14 viperids (excluding a very dubious record of Montivipera xanthina<\/em> in Syria) (Photo 1), 3 elapids (Photo 2) and 2 atractaspidines.\n<\/p>\n![\"308961_4367912700_94knj_n\"](\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/images\/default-source\/departments\/ntd-library\/snakebite\/308961-4367912700-94knj-n.jpg?sfvrsn=3ea90d8d_4\")
<\/p>\nD.A. Warrell \/\u00a0<\/span>Oman saw-scaled viper (Echis omanensis) specimen from Rustaq, Oman.<\/span><\/h6>\n
\n review shows that available scientific literature is heterogeneous
\nacross the region, and that epidemiological and clinical data on
\nsnakebite are generally limited or even absent from some countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen report the largest
\nnumbers of snakebite cases (for example, a study in Saudi Arabia
\ndescribed 1,019 snakebite cases for the period 2005-2010), with common
\nepidemiological patterns: males being predominantly bitten outdoors on
\ntheir feet. On the other hand, only two snakebite case reports were
\nfound from Kuwait and no information was available from Qatar.<\/p>\n
\n in this region should be encouraged to make snake bites and scorpion
\nstings notifiable diseases, and to record associated mortality and
\nmorbidity, so that the public health importance of these conditions can
\nbe more reliably assessed.<\/em>\u201d said Professor David Warrell of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, who is the coordinating author of the study.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAntivenoms<\/h3>\n
\n are only two antivenom producers in this region. The Scientific Studies
\n & Research Centre SYRIA now manufactures only scorpion antivenom.
\nTheir \u201cPolyvalent Anti snake Venom sera\u201d is no longer obtainable.
\nNational Antivenom & Vaccine Production Center (NAVPC), National
\nGuard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, manufactures bivalent Naja\/Walterinnesia<\/em> Snake Antivenom, polyvalent Snake Antivenom, and polyvalent Scorpion Antivenom. <\/p>\n
\n but the geographical origin of these venoms and the clinical
\neffectiveness of the antivenom for snakebites in Arab countries is
\nunproven. <\/p>\n
\n political turbulence in the region is jeopardising local production,
\nand importation from adjacent Middle Eastern countries. It also makes
\nthe development of a coordinated regional initiative to overcome this
\ndeficiency far more difficult. Responsible international producers
\noutside the region should consider developing appropriate antivenoms to
\nmeet the humanitarian need and marketing opportunity. However, new
\nregional antivenoms must be designed based on sound knowledge of the
\nspecies known to be of the greatest medical importance and raised using
\nvenoms obtained from snakes in Arab countries<\/em>\u201d said Professor Zuhair S. Amr, lead author, Jordan University for Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n prevention and increased awareness of this public health problem in the
\n region should also be promoted, particularly among farmers and other
\ngroups in rural areas and exposed to encounters with snakes in their
\neveryday life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n