Management overview for snake bite

This monograph discusses the management of bites caused by Australian terrestrial snakes. For the management of sea snake bites, see here.

There are approximately 3000 snake bites annually in Australia and they most commonly occur in regional and rural areas. Envenoming is a rare, but potentially life threatening, sequelae of snake bite. Antivenom is required in about 5% of cases of snake bite and one to four deaths occur annually, mostly from brown snakes and most commonly following early collapse and cardiac arrest.

If snake envenoming is suspected, contact a clinical toxicologist or poisons information centre (13 11 26). Management of snake bite focuses on:

• use of pressure bandage and immobilisation
• resuscitation
• determining if systemic envenoming is likely
• determining the likely snake group(s) and appropriate antivenom(s)
• early administration of antivenom if indicated; antivenoms are available for all clinically important Australian terrestrial snakes
• supportive care of venom-induced complications.

Snake handlers who present after snake bite should be treated as for anyone else—do not withhold antivenom. Obtaining the appropriate antivenom may be difficult in these cases because captive and pet snakes are outside of their usual environment. Contact a poisons information centre for advice.

Use of the snake venom detection kit is no longer recommended for the treatment of snake bite in Australia.