Abstract

BORGES, Adolfo. Ophidism in Paraguay: geographic distribution, physiopathological alterations, and the need for preparing a national reference venom. Rev. Soc. cient. Parag. [online]. 2019, vol.24, n.2, pp.249-261. ISSN 2617-4731.  https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2019-24-2.249-261.

Envenomation by poisonous snakes is frequent in Paraguay, particularly in the departments bordering with Brazil, and can be severe if the species involved belongs to the families Viperidae or Elapidae. It mostly affects 20-40 year old men involved in agricultural activities. Eastern Paraguay, together with southeast Brazil, has been identified as one of the highest snakebite incidence areas in the Neotropics. This review presents available epidemiological data and revises the physiopathology of the envenomation, particularly in the case of viperid venoms, as well as the current distribution of species in genera Bothrops and Micrurus in Paraguay.

It posits the need to prepare a national reference venom based on Paraguay´s biodiversity to pave the way for testing the neutralization capacity of foreign antivenoms or for the preparation of a national snake antivenom.

Keywords : Bothrops; Micrurus; ophidism; Paraguay; snakes..

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