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Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022

BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is a well-known medical emergency in the Terai of Nepal in particular. However, there is an epidemiological knowledge gap. The news media data available online provide substantial information on envenomings. Assessing this information can be a pristine approach for u...

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Autores principales: Pandey, Deb P., Thapa, Narayan B.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10491300/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37639403
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011572
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author Pandey, Deb P.
Thapa, Narayan B.
author_facet Pandey, Deb P.
Thapa, Narayan B.
author_sort Pandey, Deb P.
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is a well-known medical emergency in the Terai of Nepal in particular. However, there is an epidemiological knowledge gap. The news media data available online provide substantial information on envenomings. Assessing this information can be a pristine approach for understanding snakebite epidemiology and conducting knowledge-based interventions. We firstly analyzed news media-reported quantitative information on conditions under which bites occur, treatment-seeking behavior of victims, and outcomes of snakebite envenomings in Nepal. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed 308 Nepalese snakebite envenomed cases reported in 199 news media articles published between 2010 and 2022 using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon, and Chi-square tests to know why and how victims were bitten, their treatment-seeking behavior, and the outcomes. These envenomated cases known with substantial information represented 48 districts (mostly located in the Terai region) of Nepal. These envenomings mostly occurred in residential areas affecting children. Generally, envenomings among males and females were not significantly different. But, in residential areas, females were more envenomed than males. Further, victims’ extremities were often exposed to venomous snakebites while their active status and these episodes often occurred at night while victims were passive during snakebites indoors and immediate surroundings of houses. Snakebite deaths were less among referred than non-referred cases, males than females, and while active than passive conditions of victims. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The most of reported envenomed patients were children, and most envenomings were due to cobra bites. Consultation with traditional healers complicated snakebite management. In most cases, deaths that occur without medical interventions are a severe snakebite consequence in Nepal. Further, several deaths in urban areas and mountains and higher hills of Nepal suggest immediate need of snakebite management interventions in the most affected districts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to immediately admit Nepalese snakebite victims to nearby snakebite treatment centers without adopting non-recommended prehospital interventions. The strategies for preventing snakebite and controlling venom effects should also include hilly and mountain districts where snakebite-associated deaths are reported.
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spelling pubmed-104913002023-09-09 Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022 Pandey, Deb P. Thapa, Narayan B. PLoS Negl Trop Dis Research Article BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is a well-known medical emergency in the Terai of Nepal in particular. However, there is an epidemiological knowledge gap. The news media data available online provide substantial information on envenomings. Assessing this information can be a pristine approach for understanding snakebite epidemiology and conducting knowledge-based interventions. We firstly analyzed news media-reported quantitative information on conditions under which bites occur, treatment-seeking behavior of victims, and outcomes of snakebite envenomings in Nepal. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed 308 Nepalese snakebite envenomed cases reported in 199 news media articles published between 2010 and 2022 using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon, and Chi-square tests to know why and how victims were bitten, their treatment-seeking behavior, and the outcomes. These envenomated cases known with substantial information represented 48 districts (mostly located in the Terai region) of Nepal. These envenomings mostly occurred in residential areas affecting children. Generally, envenomings among males and females were not significantly different. But, in residential areas, females were more envenomed than males. Further, victims’ extremities were often exposed to venomous snakebites while their active status and these episodes often occurred at night while victims were passive during snakebites indoors and immediate surroundings of houses. Snakebite deaths were less among referred than non-referred cases, males than females, and while active than passive conditions of victims. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The most of reported envenomed patients were children, and most envenomings were due to cobra bites. Consultation with traditional healers complicated snakebite management. In most cases, deaths that occur without medical interventions are a severe snakebite consequence in Nepal. Further, several deaths in urban areas and mountains and higher hills of Nepal suggest immediate need of snakebite management interventions in the most affected districts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to immediately admit Nepalese snakebite victims to nearby snakebite treatment centers without adopting non-recommended prehospital interventions. The strategies for preventing snakebite and controlling venom effects should also include hilly and mountain districts where snakebite-associated deaths are reported. Public Library of Science 2023-08-28 /pmc/articles/PMC10491300/ /pubmed/37639403 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011572 Text en © 2023 Pandey, Thapa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
Pandey, Deb P.
Thapa, Narayan B.
Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title_full Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title_fullStr Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title_short Analysis of News Media-Reported Snakebite Envenoming in Nepal during 2010–2022
title_sort analysis of news media-reported snakebite envenoming in nepal during 2010–2022
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10491300/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37639403
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011572
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