The Association Between Ambient Temperature and Snakebite in Georgia, USA: A Case-Crossover Study.

ABSTRACT: The World Health Organization has identified snakebite envenoming as a highest priority neglected tropical disease, yet there is a dearth of epidemiologic research on environmental risk factors, including outdoor temperature. Temperature may affect snakebites through human behavior or snake behavior; snakes are ectotherms, meaning outdoor temperatures influence their internal body temperature and thus their behavior. Here we investigate the relationship between short-term temperature and snakebites in Georgia, one of the most biodiverse US states in terms of herpetofauna. We acquired emergency department (ED) visit data for Georgia between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2020. Visits for venomous and non-venomous snakebites were identified using diagnosis codes. For comparison, we also cons

SUBMITTER: Landry M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10334880 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature