The Incidence of Infection Complicating Snakebites in Tropical Australia: Implications for Clinical Management and Antimicrobial Prophylaxis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To define the incidence of infection following snakebite in tropical Australia and the resulting implications for the routine prescription of prophylactic antibiotics.

Methods

A retrospective study of all individuals presenting to Cairns Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in tropical Australia, after a snakebite between December 2013 and October 2020.

Results

There were 732 hospitalisations, 720 (98.4%) patients presented within 8 hours of the snakebite, and 29/732 (4.0%) were envenomated. Envenomated patients were more likely to receive empirical antibiotics than nonenvenomated patients (8/29 (27.6%) versus 14/703 (2.0%), p < 0.001), although this was frequently as a bundle of care for critically ill individuals. Superficial skin infection was di

SUBMITTER: Smith LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10586896 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature