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BITES AND STINGS
Snakes SNAKESAbout 45,000 people are bitten by snakes every year in the United States. Of those, 7,000 involve venomous snakes, and of those treated, only about 15 die. More than half of the venomous snakebites involve children, and most occur between April and October. Of the venomous bites in the United States, 55 percent are from rattlesnakes, 34 percent from copperheads, 10 percent from water moccasins, and one percent from coral snakes. Rattlesnake bites account for 70 percent of the fatalities and between 95 and 98 percent of the bites occur on extremities. North Carolina is the home to 37 snake species but only 6 are venomous and potentially dangerous to humans and livestock. Five of the six venomous species are pit vipers. A pit viper snake has a heat sensing "pit" located between the nostril and eye on each side that is used to locate and trail prey. Pit vipers in North Carolina include the Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth), Copperhead, and three species of rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes can grow up to six feet in length. Baby rattlesnakes are capable of a venomous bite from birth. The sixth venomous species in North Carolina is the Eastern Coral Snake. Coral snakes have short permanently erect fangs in the front of the upper jaws and have bright red, yellow and black bands that encircle the body. Coral snakes can be differentiated from scarlet king snakes in that the yellow bans of the coral snake are in contact with the red bands . In nonvenomous species the yellow bands are contained within black bands. Nonvenomous snakebites are not considered serious and are generally treated as minor wounds; only venomous snakebites are considered medical emergencies.
Copperhead Eastern Coral Snake Timber Rattler
Pygmy Rattler Cottonmouth Eastern Diamondback Symptoms generally occur immediately, but only about one third of all bites manifest symptoms. When no symptoms occur, probably no venom was injected into the victim. In 50 percent of coral snake bites, no venom is injected because the coral snake has to chew the skin for envenomation to occur. In as many as 25 percent of all venomous pit viper bites, no venom is injected, possibly because the fangs may be injured, the venom sacs may be empty at the time of the bite, or the snake may not use the fangs when it strikes. Venomous snakebite venom contains some of the most complex toxins known; venoms can affect the central nervous system, brain, heart, kidneys, and blood. Signs that indicate a venomous snakebite include: The bite consists of one or two distinct puncture wounds. Nonvenomous snakes usually leave a series of small, shallow puncture wounds because they have teeth instead of fangs. The exception is the coral snake, which leaves a semicircular marking from its teeth. Because some venomous snakes also have teeth, fang and teeth marks may be apparent. The presence of teeth marks does not rule out a venomous bite, but the presence of fang marks always confirms a venomous snakebite. Characteristics of pit viper snakes:
One snake that is not a pit viper snake but is venomous is the coral snake. The coral snake is highly venomous and resembles a number of nonvenomous snakes. It does not have fangs and has round pupils. Because its mouth is so small and its teeth are short, most coral snakes inflict bites on the toes and fingers. They have to chew the skin a while to inject venom. Coral snakes are small and ringed with red, yellow, and black. The chances for recovery from a snakebite are great if the patient receives care within two hours of the bite. You can decide how serious the bite is by considering several factors:
Treatment for snakebite: The severity of a pit viper bite is gauged by how rapidly symptoms develop, which depends on how much poison was injected. Signs and symptoms of a pit viper bite include:
The priorities of emergency care for snakebite are to maintain basic life support - airway, breathing and circulation - and limit the spread of the venom and to transport the patient to medical care without delay.
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INSECT / SPIDER BITESInsect bites and stings are common, and most are considered minor. It is only when the insect is venomous or when the patient has an allergic reaction and runs the risk of developing anaphylactic shock that the situation becomes an emergency. Even under those conditions, accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment can save lives and prevent permanent tissue damage. The normal reaction to an insect sting is a sharp, stinging pain followed by an itchy, swollen, painful raised area. The swelling may be there for several days but usually goes away within 24 hours. Local reactions are rarely serious or life-threatening and can be treated with cold compresses. However, there are some people who have allergic reactions to "normal" insect stings. Approximately 50 people die each year in the United States from insect stings. This is more than all other bites combined including snakebites. Thousands of people are allergic to bee, wasp, and hornet stings. Insect stings can be deadly for those people, on the average, within 10 minutes of the sting but almost always within the first hour. The stinging insects that most commonly cause allergic reactions belong to a group of the hymenoptera, the insects with membranous wings. These include bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. Stings from wasps and bees are the most common. Black Widow Spider Black widow spider bites are the leading cause of death from spider bites in the United States. The venom is 14 times more toxic than rattlesnake venom. It is a neurotoxin that causes little local reaction but does cause pain and spasms in the larger muscle groups of the body within 30 minutes to three hours. Severe bites can cause respiratory failure, coma and death. Those at the highest risk are children under age 16, the elderly, people with chronic illness and people with high blood pressure. Signs and symptoms of a black widow spider bite:
The symptoms usually last 24 to 48 hours. Treatment:
Brown Recluse
The bite of the brown recluse is a serious medical condition. The bite is nonhealing and causes tissue death. Sometimes surgery is necessary. The bite causes only a mild stinging sensation if any at all. Victims often are unaware they have been bitten. Several hours after the bite, the following signs and symptoms begin to result:
The target lesion will enlarge over the next few days and produce extensive tissue death. There is no antivenom. The lesion will have to be soaked in antiseptic and possibly antibiotics. Surgery may be necessary to cut out the dead tissue. Return to top of Bites and Stings
BEES and WASPSDo's and Don'ts · DO check your property regularly for bee colonies. Bees and wasps nest in a wide variety of places. Check animal burrows, water meter boxes, overturned flowerpots, trees and shrubs. · DO keep pets and children indoors when using weed eaters, hedge clippers, tractor power mowers, chain saws, etc. Attacks frequently occur when a person is mowing the lawn or pruning shrubs and inadvertently strikes a bee's nest. · DO avoid excessive motion when near a colony. Bees are much more likely to respond to an object in motion than a stationary one. · DON'T pen, tie or tether animals near bee hives or nests. · DON'T destroy bee colonies or hive, especially with pesticides. Honey bee are a vital link to U.S. agriculture. Each year, pollination by honey bees add at least $10 billion to the value of more than 90 crops. They also produce about $150 million worth of honey each year. · DON'T remove bees yourself. If you want bees removed, look in the yellow pages under "bee removal" or "beekeepers". What to do if you are attacked:
Calling for help: How to treat bee or wasp:
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The black widow is a spider with a shiny black body, thin legs and an hourglass
shaped red/white mark on its abdomen. The female is much larger than the male and is one of the largest spiders in the United States. Males generally do not bite.
Females bite only when hungry, agitated or protecting the egg sac. The black widow is not aggressive. They are usually found in dry, secluded, dimly lit areas. More than 80 percent of all bite victims are adult men.
