Case Reports
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2019)
Acute transverse myelitis following carpet viper snakebite in Northeast Nigeria
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 15 January 2020
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Snakebite is a major cause of death and disability in developing countries. The common clinical features of snake envenomation include bleeding, acute kidney injury, dilated pupils and muscle paralysis resulting from the deleterious effects of venom toxins on human plasma proteins, cell membranes, muscle fibers and vascular endothelium. Snakes also harbour pathogenic organisms that may infect bite victims during envenomation, but few studies have described this phenomenon. We herein report a rare case of acute transverse myelitis occurring after snakebite in Northeast Nigeria, and discuss the possible role of bacteria and viruses after excluding other potential causes of myelopathy. This knowledge may help improve the care of snakebite victims among internists and emergency physicians.
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Citations
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How to Cite
Acute transverse myelitis following carpet viper snakebite in Northeast Nigeria. (2020). Annals of African Medical Research, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/aamr.2019.70