Resumo

GUERRERO, Emilse Y  e  RODRIGUEZ-ACOSTA, Alexis. Clinical and epidemiological study of hemorrhagic and necrotic alterations caused by the rattlesnake (crotalus durissus cumanensis) venom in venezuelan patients. INHRR [online]. 2011, vol.42, n.2, pp.41-49. ISSN 0798-0477.

The bleeding, necrotic and edematous Snake bite effects from 135 patients of Miranda, Aragua, Vargas States and Capital District (Venezuela), caused by the Venezuelan common rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus cumanensis) from 1998 to 2008 were described. In bleeding disorders, which traditionally were almost imperceptible in Venezuelan Crotalus, we have found reliable evidence of clinical manifestations such as: afibrinogenemia, lengthening of the manual time of coagulation (MTC), and Partial Time of Thromboplastin (PTT) and Prothrombin time (PT), which indicates the presence of hemorrhagic fractions in the Venezuelan rattlesnake’s venoms. There were differences between the sexes, still predominant in male (82%). However, there has been an increase of significant impact on female (17%). By age, there was prevalence between 11 and 30 years old, both male and female. The mostly affected bite si te was upper limb (58,5%), with a no less significant percentage of lower limbs (40,7%). These findings, allowed us to suggest that some rattlesnake venoms have a systemic effect on skeletal muscle, and also effects on capillaries that generate swelling, hemorrhagic phenomena and necrosis.

Palavras-chave : Afibrinogenemia; Crotalus durissus cumanensis; rattlesnake; thromboplastin time; prothrombin time; bleeding disorders; venom.