Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2025 May 5:49:e39.
doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2025.39. eCollection 2025.

SERPENT-Brasil: a technological tool for snakebite management

Jacqueline de Almeida Gonçalves Sachett  1 , Gisele Dos Santos Costa Rocha  1 , Elisangela Silva  1 , Anne Grace Andrade da Cunha Marques  1 , Pedro Ferreira Bisneto  1 , Handerson Silva Pereira  1 , Victor Carlos Pardo Ratis da Silva  1 , Kathleen Maclenny Pereira Carvalho  1 , Lincoln Luís Silva  1 , Manuela Berto Pucca  2 , Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

SERPENT-Brasil: a technological tool for snakebite management

Jacqueline de Almeida Gonçalves Sachett et al. Rev Panam Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Portuguese

Objective: To report on the development and features of a mobile application (app) to guide the public and health professionals on pre-hospital emergency measures after snake envenomation.

Methods: This was a four-stage methodological study conducted from June 2020 to July 2022. The app development included creating a mobile resource to guide pre-hospital care and to direct victims to hospitals that have antivenom.

Results: The SERPENT-BRASIL app was developed for use on Android and IOS devices with an intuitive interface. It offers online and offline access to information on hospitals and mapping routes via Google Maps. In addition, it allows users to report snake sightings and to request emergency rescue.

Conclusion: The SERPENT-BRASIL app improves snakebite management and prevention, eases the burden on health services, and promotes health education. Collection of snake envenomation data contributes to public safety, making the app an essential resource for public safety in Brazil.

Objetivo: Informar sobre el desarrollo y las características de una aplicación móvil que tiene como objetivo orientar al público y a los profesionales de la salud sobre medidas de emergencia prehospitalarias tras el envenenamiento por mordedura de serpiente.

Métodos: Se realizó un estudio metodológico en cuatro fases entre junio del 2020 y julio del 2022. El desarrollo de la aplicación incluyó la creación de un recurso móvil para brindar orientación sobre la atención prehospitalaria y dirigir a las víctimas a los hospitales que tienen antídotos.

Resultados: La aplicación SERPENT-Brazil se desarrolló para su uso en dispositivos Android e IOS por medio de una interfaz intuitiva. Ofrece acceso en línea y fuera de línea a información sobre hospitales y mapas de rutas a través de Google Maps. Además, permite a los usuarios informar sobre avistamientos de serpientes y solicitar rescates de emergencia.

Conclusiones: La aplicación SERPENT-Brazil mejora el manejo y la prevención de las mordeduras de serpiente, alivia la carga en los servicios de salud y promueve la educación en materia de salud. Recopilar datos sobre envenenamiento por mordedura de serpiente contribuye a mejorar la seguridad pública, por lo que esta aplicación es un recurso esencial para la seguridad pública en Brasil.

Objetivo: Descrever o desenvolvimento e as funcionalidades de um aplicativo móvel para orientar o público e os profissionais de saúde sobre as medidas de emergência pré-hospitalares após o envenenamento por picada de cobra.

Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo em quatro etapas realizado de junho de 2020 a julho de 2022. O desenvolvimento do aplicativo incluiu a criação de um recurso móvel para orientar a atenção pré-hospitalar e direcionar as vítimas a hospitais que tenham soro antiofídico.

Resultados: Desenvolvido para uso em dispositivos Android e iOS, o aplicativo SERPENT-BRASIL tem uma interface intuitiva e oferece acesso on-line e off-line a informações sobre hospitais e as melhores rotas para chegar até eles por meio do Google Maps. Além disso, permite que os usuários comuniquem o avistamento de cobras e solicitem resgate de emergência.

Conclusão: O aplicativo SERPENT-BRASIL melhora o manejo e a prevenção de picadas de cobras, alivia a carga sobre os serviços de saúde e promove a educação em saúde. A coleta de dados sobre envenenamento por cobras contribui para a segurança pública, o que torna o aplicativo um recurso essencial nessa área no Brasil.

Keywords: Brazil; Snake envenomation; emergency guidance; mobile health; public health informatics; specimen management.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest. None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Display screens of the SERPENT-BRASIL mobile app
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. “Report a snakebite” screen in the SERPENT-BRASIL app
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Instructional display on how to locate a health care facility for anti-venom care using the SERPENT-BRASIL mobile app
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Examples of educational materials available on the SERPENT-BRASIL mobile app
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Da Silva WRGB, De Siqueira Santos L, Lira D, De Oliveira Luna KP, Fook SML, Alves RRN. Who are the most affected by Bothrops snakebite envenoming in Brazil? A clinical-epidemiological profile study among the regions of the country. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. . 2023;17(10):e0011708. - PMC - PubMed
    2. Da Silva WRGB, De Siqueira Santos L, Lira D, De Oliveira Luna KP, Fook SML, Alves RRN. Who are the most affected by Bothrops snakebite envenoming in Brazil? A clinical-epidemiological profile study among the regions of the country. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023;17(10):e0011708. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gutiérrez JM, Borri J, Giles-Vernick T, Duda R, Habib AG, Malhotra A, et al. Understanding and tackling snakebite envenoming with transdisciplinary research. Monteiro WM, editor. editorPLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(11):e0010897. - PMC - PubMed
    2. Gutiérrez JM, Borri J, Giles-Vernick T, Duda R, Habib AG, Malhotra A, et al. Understanding and tackling snakebite envenoming with transdisciplinary research. Monteiro WM, editor. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(11):e0010897. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Williams D. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. [Accessed 3 October 2024]. Snakebite envenoming: a strategy for prevention and control. Available from: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/324838.
    2. Williams D. Snakebite envenoming: a strategy for prevention and control. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. [Accessed 3 October 2024]. Available from: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/324838
    1. Isaacson JE, Ye JJ, Silva LL, Hernandes Rocha TA, De Andrade L, Scheidt JFHC, et al. Antivenom access impacts severity of Brazilian snakebite envenoming: A geographic information system analysis. Borges A, editor. editorPLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023;17(6):e0011305. - PMC - PubMed
    2. Isaacson JE, Ye JJ, Silva LL, Hernandes Rocha TA, De Andrade L, Scheidt JFHC, et al. Antivenom access impacts severity of Brazilian snakebite envenoming: A geographic information system analysis. Borges A, editor. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023;17(6):e0011305. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brasil. Ministério da Saúde . [Accessed 1 April 2024]. Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação. Available from: http://tabnet.datasus.gov.br/cgi/tabcgi.exe?sinannet/cnv/animaisbr.def.
    2. Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação. [Accessed 1 April 2024]. Available from: http://tabnet.datasus.gov.br/cgi/tabcgi.exe?sinannet/cnv/animaisbr.def

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources