Snake Bite — Vasculotoxic

[Generated for Academic Purposes] Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine & Tropical Medicine

The term "vasculotoxic" is somewhat of a misnomer, as the venom primarily affects blood vessels and blood components. Key families include Viperidae (e.g., Daboia russelii , Echis carinatus , Bothrops atrox ) and some Colubridae. In India, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, viper bites account for the majority of vasculotoxic envenomations. The clinical syndrome is dominated by local tissue destruction, coagulopathy, and systemic vascular leakage. Without prompt intervention, patients succumb to intracranial hemorrhage, acute kidney injury (AKI), or hypovolemic shock. The vasculotoxic action is mediated by a complex mixture of enzymes and peptides. vasculotoxic snake bite

SVMPs degrade the basement membrane of capillary endothelial cells. By cleaving type IV collagen, laminin, and fibronectin, they increase vascular permeability, leading to local edema, blistering, and systemic capillary leak syndrome. This directly causes petechiae, ecchymosis, and spontaneous systemic hemorrhage. The clinical syndrome is dominated by local tissue

Pathophysiology, Clinical Spectrum, and Management of Vasculotoxic Snake Envenomation: A Comprehensive Review SVMPs degrade the basement membrane of capillary endothelial