Snake bites. What are poisonous snakes in Poland?

Proven content

The bite by snakes causes the secretion of venom with curarine action, infecting skeletal muscles and diaphragms (e.g. cobras), affecting the heart and circulatory system (e.g. cobras, vipers, rattlesnakes), acting locally and affecting blood clotting. In addition, snake venoms can cause disturbances in the central nervous system and cause haemolysis of blood cells.

Venomous snakes in Poland

The only poisonous species of snakes living in Poland is viper zigzag (Vipera brush), which is under protection. Its body is 45–75 cm long, and it has a flat, triangular head covered with fine scales. In the upper jaw, the Zigzag Viper has two pairs of long, mobile teeth connected to the venom-producing glands. The gray, brown or black body is decorated with a zigzag, perfectly visible in lighter colored specimens.

This species can be found all over the country, especially in sunny forest clearings and clearings, southern mountain slopes and wet meadows. The viper never attacks itself, except in an act of self-defense. He always tries to hide from humans, so the bite most often appears due to accidental stepping on or deliberate teasing.

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Viper bites only occur in warm seasons, for in winter the viper falls asleep. The most dangerous are stings that take place in spring after the viper wakes up from hibernation, then there is a large amount of venom in their glands. In the viper venom there are enzyme substances which are very toxic and have various effects on living organisms. The amount of venom entering the body during a bite may vary from 0 to 75 percent. the contents of the venom gland.

They are in the venom neurotoksyny having a shocking effect on the nervous system, hyaluronidase accelerating the penetration of venom into tissues and hemolysin causes damage to the endothelium of blood vessels and red blood cells. The action of these substances causes aggregation, i.e. clumping, clogging of small vessels and disturbances in blood coagulation. The viper venom also affects the circulatory system, causing symptoms similar to anaphylactic shock, it also acts directly on the heart muscle, damaging it.

Factors influencing the severity of a snake bite

Viper venom poisoning may occur not only as a result of biting, but also as a result of the ingress of the venom through damaged skin or mucous membranes.

The severity of poisoning depends on many factors, such as:

1. age (more dangerous in children),
2. body weight,
3. increase,
4. the health of the bitten person,
5. the bite site (head bites are the most dangerous),
6. the size of the viper,
7. the degree of venom filling in its venom glands.

The viper venom is absorbed through the lymphatic and venous pathways. The bite site is two red points 5-10 mm apart.

Snake bites – symptoms

The site of the viper bite it usually turns blue and swells. In more severe cases, petechiae and blisters filled with serous contents are observed within the bite, and the nearest lymph nodes are enlarged. These are local symptoms of a bite.

As a result of the bite, general symptoms may also appear when the venom glands were well filled with venom and a lot of the toxic substance got into the wound. The bitten person then becomes restless, agitated, and feels:

1. nausea,
2. excessive thirst
3. sweating
4. there is a feeling of fear of death.

Blood clotting disorders are the cause of nosebleeds, skin bruising, and bloody urine output. In addition, there are abdominal pains, balance disorders, heart rate increases, blood pressure drops, which can lead to a collapse. In more severe cases, especially in children, in people suffering from cardiovascular diseases or after a bite to the head or neck, loss of consciousness and death may occur.

Also check: Stings and bites – this threatens you in the forest and on the plot

Snake bites – immediate treatment

Treatment methods for people bitten by snakes are listed below.

1. The bite site wash with water to remove any venom from the surface of the skin.
2. Immobilize the sick personespecially when it is bitten on the body part (e.g. using a splint on a limb) to limit the absorption of the venom. Thanks to the work of the muscles, circulation is improved and the absorption of the venom is accelerated. The less toxin enters the bloodstream, the greater the chance that symptoms of general poisoning caused by damage to the vessel walls and red blood cells aggregation will not appear.
3. Wrap the bitten limb bags of water or ice cubes to reduce pain, swelling and inflammation and to prevent the spread of venom.
4. Immediately transport the bitten person to a doctor. The patient should not be given alcohol, strong painkillers or stimulants of the nervous system.

If it is not possible to transport the bitten person to the doctor immediately, the following steps are recommended.

1. Above the bite site, we put a tourniquet that inhibits the outflow of venous blood and lymph from the wound – which may contain venom – but not arterial blood. Clamp in such a way that the limb below this place begins to turn blue, but the pulse on the back of the foot or above the wrist is still felt. The patient can wear a tightly clamped dressing with a complete pale pale below the band up to half an hour / hourfor example, during the patient’s transport (wearing the dressing for a long time increases the risk of limb necrosis).
2. It is not necessary to put on a bandage if more than half an hour has passed since the bite or the patient has received serum. We can make a tourniquet from a triangular scarf, a regular scarf or any wide strip of fabric.
3. It is contraindicated to suck venom from the wound. Although the toxic proteins in it are broken down in the digestive system, if the mucosa of the rescuer’s mouth is damaged, he also puts himself at risk. In order to suck out the venom, it is worth using ready-made devices, such as: Anti-tick device for removing ticks and venom or Unstinger vacuum pump for removing venom.
4. Trapper methods of burning and cutting the wound usually do not bring the patient much benefit apart from additional stress and pain. If, however, the wound has already been incised, it should not be suctioned with the mouth, but with a disposable syringe or a heated glass bulb.

After performing the above-mentioned activities, the patient should be transported to the nearest medical center as soon as possible, where serum against snake venomwhich can only be recommended by a doctor after an allergy test. The serum should be injected into the wound area, unless several hours have passed since the bite, then it should also be administered intramuscularly and intravenously.

Also read:

1. Mammalian bites – the mechanism of tetanus infection
2. Venomous spiders in Poland – species, threat
3. Insect stings. What to do after a bite?

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