Severe Bushmaster Snakebite Envenoming: Case Report and Overview
Allan Quadros Garcês-Filho,
Humberto H. M. Santos,
Thays K. P. P. Aguiar,
Dafnin L. S. Ramos,
Luis E. B. Galan,
Domingos S. M. Dantas,
Felipe A. Cerni,
Roberto C. Carbonell,
Manuela B. Pucca
Affiliations
Allan Quadros Garcês-Filho
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Humberto H. M. Santos
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Thays K. P. P. Aguiar
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Dafnin L. S. Ramos
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Luis E. B. Galan
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Domingos S. M. Dantas
Programa Doutoral de Bioética, Faculdade de Medicina do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Felipe A. Cerni
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Roberto C. Carbonell
Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista 69300-000, Roraima, Brazil
Manuela B. Pucca
Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus Araraquara, Araraquara 17033-360, São Paulo, Brazil
Unlike the well-documented bothropic and crotalid snakebites in Brazil, lachetic envenomings (i.e., triggered by the bushmaster snake) are rare and present significant diagnostic challenges. This case describes a severe envenoming induced by a Lachesis muta snake in a 26-year-old Brazilian man who was bitten near a forest in November 2022. Characteristic symptoms such as sweating and bradycardia pointed towards lachetic envenoming, but initial misdiagnosis as a bothropic bite resulted in a delay in appropriate antivenom therapy. Despite later receiving the correct treatment, the severity of the envenoming necessitated the amputation of a finger and triggered a severe infection. This report highlights the challenges of diagnosing and treating Lachesis spp. bites due to their rarity. Moreover, an overview of lachetic-induced signs and symptoms was explored. This study emphasizes that further reports are warranted to improve understanding of Lachesis muta envenoming and to optimize treatment strategies.
