Local Antivenom Treatment for Ophthalmic Injuries Caused by a Naja atra

• Published in: Journal of medical toxicology Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 147 - 149
• Main Authors: Fung, Hin Tat, Lam, Ka Keung, Wong, Oi Fung, Lam, Tommy Shing Kit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-06-2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antivenins - administration & dosage; Antivenins - therapeutic use; Antivenom; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Case reports; Chloramphenicol - administration & dosage; Chloramphenicol - therapeutic use; Conjunctivitis - chemically induced; Conjunctivitis - drug therapy; Cornea; Elapid Venoms - poisoning; Elapidae; Exposure; Eye Injuries - chemically induced; Eye Injuries - drug therapy; Eyes & eyesight; Female; Humans; Injuries; Naja atra; Ointments; Ophthalmic Solutions; Pain; Pain Measurement; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Prednisolone - administration & dosage; Prednisolone - therapeutic use; Snakes; Toxicology; Toxicology Observation; Venom; Visual Acuity; Eye; Cobra; Antivenom; Snake
• ISSN: 1556-9039; 1937-6995
• DOI: 10.1007/s13181-010-0068-8

We report a case of local antivenom therapy for ocular exposure to the venom of
Naja atra
. An 83-year-old woman sustained conjunctival and corneal injuries by the venom of a spitting
N. atra
. Local instillation of
N. naja
antivenom quickly relieved the pain as measured by visual analog scale, and she recovered uneventfully. Good recovery ensuing topical antivenom administration for ocular exposure to the venom of spitting
N. atra
and
Naja nigricollis
has been described in literature, but the pain response was not thoroughly documented. The mechanism of antivenom for pain relief remains to be established. In light of the associated positive outcome observed in human, the role of ocular antivenom therapy merits further study.