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. 2009 Dec;1(2):100-12.
doi: 10.3390/toxins1020100. Epub 2009 Nov 24.

Asp Viper (Vipera aspis) envenomation: experience of the Marseille Poison Centre from 1996 to 2008

Luc de Haro  1 , Mathieu Glaizal, Lucia Tichadou, Ingrid Blanc-Brisset, Maryvonne Hayek-Lanthois
Affiliations

Asp Viper (Vipera aspis) envenomation: experience of the Marseille Poison Centre from 1996 to 2008

Luc de Haro et al. Toxins (Basel). 2009 Dec.

Abstract

A retrospective case review study of viper envenomations collected by the Marseille's Poison Centre between 1996 and 2008 was performed.

Results: 174 cases were studied (52 grade 1 = G1, 90 G2 and 32 G3). G1 patients received symptomatic treatments (average hospital stay 0.96 day). One hundred and six (106) of the G2/G3 patients were treated with the antivenom Viperfav* (2.1+/-0.9 days in hospital), while 15 of them received symptomatic treatments only (plus one immediate death) (8.1+/-4 days in hospital, 2 of them died). The hospital stay was significantly reduced in the antivenom treated group (p < 0.001), and none of the 106 antivenom treated patients had immediate (anaphylaxis) or delayed (serum sickness) allergic reactions.

Conclusion: Viperfav* antivenom was safe and effective for treating asp viper venom-induced toxicity.

Keywords: asp viper; Vipera genus; antivenom; neurotoxins; snake envenomation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Asp Viper envenomation, experience of the Marseille Poison Centre between 1996 and 2008. In A, the geographical distribution of dangerous vipers in mainland France is coloured in grey. The two black areas indicate the places where neurotoxic symptoms are observed. Both of them are included in the Marseille poison centre activity zone (all the French Mediterranean coast, at the south of the dotted line). The chronological distribution of the asp viper envenomation of the case series is presented by year in B and by month in C. In D, annual distribution of grade 2 + 3 envenomations with or without antivenom treatment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The snake with the typical morphology of Vipera aspis aspis and responsible for one of the first neurotoxic envenomation observed in 1992 near the city of Nice (Italian border).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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