Chronic kidney failure following lancehead bite envenoming: a clinical report from the Amazon region

• Published in: The journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases 2020-12, Vol.26, p.e20200083
• Main Authors: Pucca, Manuela B, Franco, Michelle V S, Medeiros, Jilvando M, Oliveira, Isadora S, Ahmadi, Shirin, Cerni, Felipe A, Zottich, Umberto, Bassoli, Bruna K, Monteiro, Wuelton M, Laustsen, Andreas H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bothrops; Case Report; Chronic kidney disease; Long-term effects; Renal failure; Snakebite; TOXICOLOGY; TROPICAL MEDICINE
• ISSN: 1678-9199; 1678-9199
• DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2020-0083

Snakebite envenoming can be a life-threatening condition, for which emergency care is essential. The (lancehead) genus is responsible for most snakebite-related deaths and permanent loss of function in human victims in Latin America. spp. venom is a complex mixture of different proteins that are known to cause local necrosis, coagulopathy, and acute kidney injury. However, the long-term effects of these viper envenomings have remained largely understudied. Here, we present a case report of a 46-years old female patient from Las Claritas, Venezuela, who was envenomed by a snake from the genus. The patient was followed for a 10-year period, during which she presented oliguric renal failure, culminating in kidney failure 60 months after the envenoming. In Latin America, especially in Brazil, where there is a high prevalence of envenoming, it may be relevant to establish long-term outpatient programs. This would reduce late adverse events, such as chronic kidney disease, and optimize public financial resources by avoiding hemodialysis and consequently kidney transplantation.