Failure of a new antivenom to treat Echis ocellatus snake bite in rural Ghana: the importance of quality surveillance

dc.contributor.authorVisser, L.E.
dc.contributor.authorKyei-Faried, S.
dc.contributor.authorBelcher, D.W.
dc.contributor.authorGeelhoed, D.W.
dc.contributor.authorVan Leeuwen, J.S.
dc.contributor.authorVan Roosmalen, J.
dc.date.accessioned2019-04-11T09:27:07Z
dc.date.available2019-04-11T09:27:07Z
dc.date.issued2008-05
dc.description.abstractThis study compares two antivenoms used to treat Echis ocellatus snake bite patients at Mathias Hospital, Yeji, central Ghana. FAV-Afrique™ antivenom (Aventis Pasteur) was given to 278 patients during 2001-2003, whilst Asna Antivenom C (Bharat Serum and Vaccines Ltd) was used in 2004 to treat 66 patients. The two groups had comparable patient attributes, time from snake bite to treatment and staff adherence to the tested treatment protocol. The antivenom C group required more repeat doses and twice the amount of antivenom to treat coagulopathy. Of greater concern, the antivenom C mortality rate was 12.1%, a marked rise from the 1.8% rate in the earlier FAV-Afrique™ antivenom group. In this study, antivenom C was ineffective as treatment for West African E. ocellatus snake venom. This illustrates the absolute need for regional pilot tests to assess the effectiveness of a new antivenom against local snake venoms before its sole and general distribution in a region is initiated. © 2007 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.en_US
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2007.11.006
dc.identifier.otherVolume 102, Issue 5, Pages 445-450
dc.identifier.urihttp://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/29168
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherTransactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygieneen_US
dc.subjectAntivenomen_US
dc.subjectCarpet viperen_US
dc.subjectEnvenomationen_US
dc.subjectEvaluationen_US
dc.subjectGhanaen_US
dc.subjectSnake biteen_US
dc.titleFailure of a new antivenom to treat Echis ocellatus snake bite in rural Ghana: the importance of quality surveillanceen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

Files

License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.6 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: