Know what to do and what to avoid if you find a snake at home

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 81,000 and 138,000 people worldwide die annually as a result of snake bites poisonous. Another 400,000 are permanently disabled or disfigured. An estimated 4.5 to 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes each year.

Snake bite envenomation is potentially fatal due to the toxins present in the animal’s venom. High-risk groups include rural agricultural workers, fishermen, hunters, people living in poorly constructed homes and with limited access to education and healthcare.

To avoid being bitten by a snake, it is important not to touch the animal and seek immediate help, as explained by the director of the Cultural Development Center at the Butantan Institute, Giuseppe Puorto, a national reference in snake management.

“If a snake appears in your home, in your work area, it doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous or not, seek help from people who know how to deal with animals. Call the Fire Department, Civil Defense or Zoonoses Control in your municipality, because that way you don’t run the risk of trying to mess with it and having an accident”, explains Puorto, in a statement.

most dangerous snakes

Among the dangerous species of snakes that can be found in Brazil are the jararacuçu, the pit viper and the true coral.

Aggressive, the jararacuçu (Bothrops jararacuçu) is a large snake, which can reach 1.70 m in length and has darker skin than the pit viper. The pit viper (Bothrops pit viper) is smaller than jararacuçu and common in the Atlantic Forest area. While true coral (Micrurus corallinus) is smaller than the others, but no less dangerous.

“The difference between true coral and false coral is very subtle and we don’t advise trying to find out if it’s one or the other because it’s not worth it. Every time you come across a coral pattern snake, stay safe and don’t put your hand. They are very fast and end up running away when in contact with people”, says the specialist.

As these snakes live in dense forest, they do not always reach homes. However, situations such as floods, fires or deforestation favor human contact with snakes, which eagerly look for a safe place, such as houses. As they are venomous, the risk of poisoning residents increases and, if this occurs, medical help must be immediate.

Learn more about snakebites

Ophidic accidents, or simply ophidism, is the clinical picture resulting from snake bites. In Brazil, it is common to call snakes “snakes”. This name is more correctly used to refer to snakes of the Elapidae family, in Brazil represented by true coral snakes.

Some species of snakes produce a venom in their venom glands that intensely affect the human organism. The bite can cause bleeding, clotting problems, tissue loss and inflammation.

According to the Ministry of Health, most snakebites in Brazil are caused by snakes from the Bothrops group, followed by the Crotalus group. There are few cases of accidents caused by Micrurus and Lachesis.

The Brazilian regions with the highest incidence rate of snakebites are the North and Midwest. The months with the highest frequency of accidents are the hot and rainy, periods of greater activity in rural areas.

Snakebites are more frequent among the rural population, in males and in the economically active age group (20 to 64 years). Most accidents are clinically classified as mild, however, the delay in medical care and serotherapy can considerably increase the lethality rate.

Accidents caused by snakes are divided into four groups, according to the genus of the causing snake:

Bothropic accident: It is caused by snakes of the Viperidae family, of the Bothrops and Bothrocopias genera (jararacuçu, jararaca, urutu, caiçaca, convoy). It is the most important group, with about 30 species throughout the Brazilian territory, found in different environments, from the banks of rivers and streams, coastal and humid areas, agricultural and periurban areas, cerrados, and open areas. They cause the vast majority of snakebites in Brazil.

Crotalic accident: It is caused by rattlesnakes (Family Viperidae, species Crotalus durissus). Rattlesnakes are identified by the presence of a rattle, rattle or rattle on their tail and are widely distributed in cerrados, arid and semi-arid regions, fields and open areas.

Lachetic accident: It is also caused by snakes of the Viperidae family, in this case the species Lachesis muta (surucucu-pico-de-jaca). The surucucu is the largest venomous snake in Brazil. Its habitat is the Amazon forest and the remnants of the Atlantic Forest.

Elapidic accident: It is caused by true corals (family Elapidae, genera Micrurus and Leptomicrurus). They are widely distributed in the country, with several species that have a characteristic pattern with colored rings.

What to do and what to avoid

In case of an accident involving snake bites, it is essential to perform first aid and remain calm.

The person who took the bite must remain at rest, hydrate and keep the wound site elevated.

What not to do when faced with a snake bite

• Do not make tourniquets;
• do not pass anything on the site of the bite;
• do not cut the bite region to “extract” the poison;
• do not consume alcoholic beverages;
• do not suck the place to try to extract the poison.

See below what you should do when you have an accident with a snake:

• Wash the bite site with soap and water;
• go to the nearest hospital or health center;
• lie down and elevate the limb that took the bite;
• if possible, and safely, take a picture of the snake to be identified.