Neurotoxicity, anticoagulant activity and evidence of rhabdomyolysis in patients bitten by death adders (Acanthophis sp.) in southern Papua New Guinea

QJM: An International Journal of Medicine

Volumn 89, Issue 1, 1996, Pages 25-35

  Lalloo, D G ^a,b,f   Trevett, A J ^a,b   Black, J ^a   Mapao, J ^a   Saweri, A ^a   Naraqi, S ^a   Owens, D ^c   Kamiguti, A S ^d   Hutton, R A ^c   Theakston, R D G ^e   Warrell, D A ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA   (Papua New Guinea)

^b UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD   (United Kingdom)

^c ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

^d UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL   (United Kingdom)

^e LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE   (United Kingdom)

^f JOHN RADCLIFFE HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR; VENOM; VENOM ANTISERUM;

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; ANTICOAGULATION; ARTICLE; ASSISTED VENTILATION; CLINICAL ARTICLE; ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION; ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY; FEMALE; FIRST AID; HUMAN; KIDNEY FAILURE; MALE; NEUROTOXICITY; PAPUA NEW GUINEA; PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTIN TIME; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROTHROMBIN TIME; RHABDOMYOLYSIS; SCHOOL CHILD; SNAKEBITE;

EID: 13344293672     PISSN: 00335622     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.qjmed.a030134     Document Type: Article

References (38)

1. O'Shea MT. The highly and potentially dangerous elapids of Papua New Guinea. In: Gopalakrishnakone P, Chou LM, eds. Snakes of medical importance. Singapore, Venom and Toxin Research Group National University of Singapore, 1990; 585-641.
2. Kellaway CH, Cherry RO, Williams FE. The peripheral action of the Australian snake venoms. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci 1932; 10:181-94.
3. Sheumack DD, Howden ME, Spence I. Isolation and partial characterisation of a lethal neurotoxin from the venom of the Australian Death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus). Toxicon 1979; 17:609-16.
4. Kim HS, Tamaya N. Isolation, properties and amino acid sequence of a long chain neootoxin, Acanthophis antarcticus b, from the venom of an Australian snake (the common Death adder Acanthophis antarcticus). Biochem J 1981; 193:899-906.
5. Kim HS, Tamiya N. The amino acid sequence and position of the free thiol group of a short chain neurotoxin from the common Death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) venom. Biochem J 1981; 199:211-18.
6. Sheumack DD, Spence I, Tyler MI, Howden ME. The complete amino acid sequence of a post-synaptic neurotoxin isolated from the venom of the Australian death adder snake (Acanthophis antarcticus). Comp Biochem Physiol 1990; 95:45-50.
7. Kellaway CH. The actions of the venoms of the Copper-head (Denisonia superba) and the Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) on the coagulation of the blood. Med J Aust 1929; 1:772-81.
8. Denson KWE. Coagulant and anticoagulant action of snake venoms. Toxicon 1969; 7:5-11.
9. Marshall LR, Herrmann RP. Coagulant and anticoagulant actions of Australian snake venoms. Thromb Haemost 1983; 50(3):707-11.
10. Tan NH, Ponnudurai G. A comparative study of the biological properties of Australian elapid venoms. Comp Biochem Physiol 1990; 97C:99-106.
11. Sutherland SK, Campbell DG, Stubbs AE. A study of the major Australian snake venoms in the monkey (Macaca fascicularis). II. Myolytic and haematological effects of venoms. Pathology 1981; 13:705-15
12. Chester A, Crawford GPM. In vitro coagulant properties of venoms from Australian snakes. Toxicon 1982; 20(2):501-4.
13. Campbell CH. The Death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus): the effect of the bite and its treatment. Med J Aust 1966; 2:922-5.
14. Sutherland SK. Genus Acanthophis, Death adders. In: Australian Animal Toxins. The creatures, their toxins and care of the poisoned patient. Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1983.
15. Warrell DA, Davidson NMcD, Greenwood BM, Ormerod LD, Pope HM, Watkins BJ, Prentice CRM. Poisoning by Bites of the Saw-Scaled or Carpet Viper (Echis carinatus) in Nigeria. Q J Med 1977; 181:33-62.
16. Sano-Martins IS, Fan HW, Castro SC, Tomy SC, Franca FO, Jorge MT, Kamiguti AS, Warrell DA, Theakston RD. Reliability of the simple 20 minute whole blood clotting test (WBCT20) as an indicator of low plasma fibrinogen concentration in patients envenomed by Bothrops snakes. Toxicon 1994; 32:1045-1050.
17. Lalloo DG, Trevett AJ, Owens D, Minei J, Naraqi S, Saweri A, Hutton R, Theakston RDC, Warrell DA. Coagulopathy following bites by the Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni). Blood Coagul Fibrinol 1995; 6(1):65-72.
18. Theakston RDG, Lloyd-Jones MJ, Reid HA. Micro-ELISA for detecting and assaying snake venom and antibody. Lancet 1977; ii:639-41.
19. Ho M, Warrell MJ, Warrell DA, Bidwell D, Voller A. A critical reappraisal of the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in the study of snake bite. Toxicon 1986; 24:211-21.
20. Lalloo D, Trevett A, Black J, Mapao J, Naraqi S, Owens D, Hutton R, Theakston RDG, Warrell DA. Neurotoxicity and haemostatic disturbances in patients envenomed by the Papuan Black snake (Pseudechis papuanus). Toxicon 1994; 32(8):927-36.
21. Laemmli UK. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 1970; 227:680-5.
22. Slater KR. A guide to the dangerous snakes of Papua. Port Moresby, Government Printer, 1968.
23. Tidswell F. Researches on Australian Venoms, Snake-bite, Snake-venom and Antivenene: The poison of the Platypus, The poison of the Red-spotted spider. Sydney, NSW Department of Public Health, 1906.
24. Lalloo DG, Trevett AJ, Korinhona A, Nwokolo N, Laurenson I, Paul M, Black J, Naraqi S, Mavo B, Saweri A, Hutton RA, Theakston RDG, Warrell DA Snakebites by the Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni); paralysis, haemostatic and electrocardiographic abnormalities and effects of venom. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1995; in press.
25. Campbell CH. The effects of snake venoms and their neurotoxins on the nervous system of man and animals. In: Hornabrook RW, ed. Topics in Tropical Neurology. Philadelphia, Davis, 1975:259-93.
26. Gatineau E, Lee CY, Fromageot P, Menez A. Reversal of snake neurotoxin to mammalian acetylcholine receptor by specific antiserum. Eur J Biochem 1988; 171:535-9.
27. Watt G, Meade BM, Theakston RDG, Padre L, Tuazon ML, Calubaquib C, Santiago E, Ranoa CP. Comparison of Tensilon and antivenom for the treatment of cobra-bite paralysis. Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg 1989; 83:570-573.
28. Kaire GH. A heat-stable anticoagulant in snake venoms. Med J Aust 1964; 2:972.
29. Kamiguti AS, Laing GD, Lowe GM, Zuzel M, Warrell DA, Theakston RDG. Biological properties of the venom of a rare elapid, the Papuan black snake (Pseudechis papuanus); presence of a phospholipase A2 inhibitor. Toxicon 1994; 32:915-25.
30. White J. Thrombocytopenia after snake envenomation. Med J Aust 1990; 152:445-446.
31. Marshall LR, Herrmann RP. Australian snake venoms and their in vitro effect on human platelets. Thromb Res 1989; 54:269-75.
32. Mebs D, Samejima Y. Purification, from Australian elapid venoms, and properties of phospholipases A which cause myoglobinuria in mice. Toxicon 1980; 18:443-54.
33. Doery HM, Pearson J. Haemolysins in Venoms of Australian Snakes. Biochem J 1961; 78:620-7.
34. Flaschenberger W, Mirtschin PJ. Anticholinesterases as antidotes to envenomation of rats by the death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus). Toxicon 1994; 32(1):35-9.
35. Hudson BJ. Positive response to edrophonium in death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) envenomation. Aust NZ J Med 1988; 18:792-4.
36. Currie B, Fitzmaurice M, Oakley J. Resolution of neurotoxicity with anticholinesterase therapy in death-adder envenomation. Med J Aust 1988; 148:522-5.
37. Watt G, Theakston RDG, Hayes CG, Yambao ML, Sangalang R, Ranoa CP, Alquizalas E, Warrell DA. Positive response to edrophonium in patients with neurotoxic envenoming by cobras (Naja naja philippinensis). N Engl J Med 1986; 315:1444-8.
38. Currie BJ, Richens J, Korinhona A, Worthington J. Anticholinesterase therapy for death adder envenomation. Aust NZ J Med 1990; 20:190.