Rustan Arrieta, Yoshihiro Aoki, Mariedel A Tan, Mardie S Sarsalijo, Marvin Jay Sarmiento, Jonathan Paghubasan, Patrick Joseph Tiglao, Ken Yoshimura, Atsushi Sakai, Lourdes C Agosto
This report details a documented case of fatal King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) envenomation in the Philippines. A 46-year-old woman from a mountainous town Leyte was bitten on her left thigh by a snake. Despite receiving prompt medical attention, including administration of fluids and oxygen, she went into arrest and succumbed within 2.5 hours of the bite. Inadequate pre-hospital care, including endotracheal intubation and assisted ventilation, highlights a notable gap in emergency medical services. Photographic evidence, verified by a herpetologist, confirmed the involvement of a King cobra, with venom presenting with a swift and lethal systemic effect that led to the patient's demise, despite minimal local manifestations...
May 7, 2024: Toxicon: Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology