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The viper is the only poisonous snake living in Poland. Like all Polish reptiles, it is protected, so it cannot be captured, mutilated or intentionally killed. It looks like a grass snake or slowworm. Find out more about this animal and what to do in case of a bite.
The viper has a triangular head and, compared to other Polish snakes, it is much larger. Her eyes have vertical pupils, the iris is dark brown or dark red in color. It owes its name to a characteristic zigzag, also known as a cain ribbon, located on the spine. The viper may be brown, gray or black in color.
The viper is found in northern and central Europe and Asia. It is the only poisonous snake living in Poland. It can be found in each of the provinces and is under species protection – the most zigzag vipers live in Pomerania, the Bieszczady and Białystok region. It is most active on warm days and is present both during the day and at night. In October, he hibernates and wakes up at the turn of April and May.
Zig-zag vipers are often found in sunny clearings and commas. They also like to bask in the meadows, wood yards and hills. Their favorite hiding places are stone piles, burrows and rock debris.
- Find out more about snakes living in Poland
It is produced by paired venom glands and contains ingredients that immobilize the bitten victim. However, not all bites end up injecting venom – about 20-50% of them are so-called bites dry. The venom contains enzymes and non-enzymatic polypeptides and metal ions. It has a harmful effect on proteins in the composition of blood vessel walls, leukocyte membranes and erythrocytes.
Among the ingredients contained in the venom of the viper, we should mention those that have the ability to destroy the vascular endothelium and digest blood vessel components, metalloproteinase, disintegrin, phospholipase (PLA2) and hyaluronidase. The mentioned phospholipase is a component of snake venom, which is still being studied – PLA2 breaks the continuity of the endothelium of blood vessels and damages erythrocytes, leukocytes and lymph vessels.
Moreover, phospholipase breaks down the platelet activating factor and causes the release of archidic acid from the membrane phospholipids and has myotoxic activity – as a result, it can damage the muscle fibers and then lead to acute renal failure.
Clinical symptoms caused by the introduction of viper venom into the organism can be divided into local and systemic symptoms. What the course of poisoning will look like depends on the amount of the dose taken per kilogram of body weight, but also on whether the person has comorbidities. The course of poisoning also depends on the age of the bitten person, the type of bite, and even whether or not they have drunk alcohol before, which accelerates the absorption of toxins.
The symptoms of a bite also depend on the type of bite, i.e. whether it is deep or shallow, whether the viper has stung through clothes, shoes and how long it stuck to the victim. Local symptoms are: swelling and subcutaneous hemorrhage that grows for about 2 days and enlargement of the lymph nodes. Gastrointestinal symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
The result of a bite by a zigzag viper are problems with the respiratory system – bronchospasms, pulmonary edema and pulmonary haemorrhage occurred in those bitten. Laboratory tests revealed an increase in CPK concentration and other abnormalities in the animals. In addition, people who are bitten may develop a fever and impaired consciousness.
The systemic symptoms of poisoning are visible as early as 15 minutes after the bite. Hypotension begins to develop in the first two hours, which may disappear or persist and recur – in extreme cases it may be fatal. A few minutes after the bite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and problems with incontinence appear. Many who are bitten also have tachycardia, fever, dizziness, and excessive sweating. There is swelling on the face, eyelids, tongue, lips, gums and suddenness.
The purpose of first aid after a bite is to delay the absorption of a substance that could otherwise cause life-threatening symptoms. A bitten person should be transported to the hospital as soon as possible and in the meantime calmed down – an attack of a viper often causes a panic attack. If possible, the patient should be transported to hospital in a still position.
A bitten person should be transported to a safe place. The affected limb should be immobilized and placed below the level of the heart before the patient goes to the hospital – thanks to this, the venom will be absorbed more slowly. The bite site can only be washed with soap and water and covered with sterile gauze – however, some doctors believe that bandages and a pressure strip above the bite site should be dispensed with, as this could inhibit the outflow of venous blood from the bitten limb.
In the case of a bite by a viper, pressure bandages should not be used, because it is not a tropical snake, with a strong, neurotoxic venom. It is also inadvisable to perform procedures such as cutting and burning the bitten place. Ice-suctioning it and suctioning it can also be harmful, as the damage could increase even more.
It is also dangerous for the patient to suck the venom, because the toxins can enter the blood system of the person providing help. Nevertheless, there are studies conducted on animals in which, after suctioning the venom after biting and cutting the skin, the amount of poison in the body has decreased by 50 to 90%.
Symptoms of vomiting are counteracted, for example, with metoclopramide or chlorpromazine; aniphylaxis – epinephrine and antihistamines. When the patient is admitted to the hospital, the doctor’s task is to determine whether the bite has actually occurred and how severe the poisoning is. The bite can be recognized by the presence of two bloodshot points separated by approx. 1 cm. During the medical interview, the patient should inform about the last tetanus vaccination, drugs used and comorbidities.
To discourage the viper from staying in a given area, e.g. a backyard, you can change the mowing of the lawn and remove elements that may be used as a hideout by the viper, e.g. boards, beams, tiles lying on the ground. It is also worth instructing the household members not to approach and irritate the animal after spotting the animal – let the snake go away and not catch it by yourself.
To avoid meeting with a viper, e.g. on a trail, you should only walk along designated paths. You should not deviate from them and move only on well marked ones. The animal often moves in tall grass, so it is better to avoid such places as well. It will also be useful to wear shoes that protect your ankle. A viper found in its natural environment usually escapes from humans, but it is worth staying away from it.
Godiya muke Allah kara basira