02226nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001500054653001500069653001100084653003900095100001400134700001500148700001500163700001400178700001000192700001600202700001300218700001400231245017600245856006700421300000800488490000600496520143200502022001401934       2024                            d  bMDPI AG10aSnakebites10aManagement10aGuinea10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)1 aDiallo MC1 aKourouma K1 aBoumbaly S1 aKamano AS1 aSow A1 aGrovogui FM1 aTraore S1 aDelamou A00aFrequency, Clinical Characteristics, and Management of Snakebite Patients Admitted at the Envenomation Treatment Center of the Applied Biology Research Institute of Guinea  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/9/10/238/pdf?version=1728696428  a1-80 v93 a<jats:p>The aim of this study was to describe the frequency, clinical signs, management, and outcomes of snakebite patients admitted to the envenomation treatment center of the Institut de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée de Guinée (IRBAG). This was a retrospective review combining aggregated annual statistics (2011–2015) and routine data (from January to October 2021) from the IRBAG treatment center. There were 1345 (57.2%) snakebite victims out of a total of 2352 consultations at the center during the study period. Males (67.7%), persons aged ≥45 years (29%) and ≤14 years (27.7%), farmers/housewives (44.5%), workers (23.9%), and those residing in the Kindia Prefecture (53.5%) were the most commonly affected. The majority of victims (84.5%) were admitted three hours after snakebite, with bites mainly occurring in rural areas (86.5%) and during the rainy season (83.2%). Pain (100%), edema (76.8%), and bleeding (65.2%) were the most common clinical presentations. Almost all victims received antivenom serum (98%), antibiotics (87.7%), and analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs (88.4%). Six out of the one hundred and fifty-five patients died. Snakebites are a frequent public health problem in rural Guinea. The majority of victims seek medical attention too late. There is an urgent need to include snakebite in the country’s list of priority NTDs in order to promote access to antivenom serum.</jats:p>  a2414-6366