Eating Herps: Risk Analysis

Eurekalert: Study carried out into biological risks of eating reptiles

Salmonella Lawsuit

A mother has filed a lawsuit against Serpent Safari for an alleged case of salmonella in her young son in 2007. (News source.)

Axolotl Research

Scientists are looking to the Mexican axolotl as a model for spinal cord regeneration. (News source.)

Frogs Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

The CDC is saying that a recent salmonella outbreak is connected to aquatic frogs, though I don't see anything specifically tying them all together. (News source.)

Bad Suggestion for Snakebite

As any competent herpetologist knows, you really can't suck venom out of a snakebite. While it is great that a Florida man survived a cottonmouth bite without losing his arm, the treatment his roommate used and the newspaper features is outdated and dangerous. The focus should have been on the antivenom the man received; getting to a hospital as quickly as possible is the only thing a snakebite victim should be focusing on. (News source.)

Snakes as Service Animals?

I can see a few problems here.

Pythons in the Glades: Keep Out of the Kitchen

The pythons in the Everglades appear to have high levels of mercury, so don't cook them up... (News source.)

Crocs in the News

A Cambodian croc farmer takes tourists through for a small fee -- showing them where the Khmer Rouge used to feed enemies to the crocodiles. (News source.)

A Congo fisherman was attacked by a crocodile, and ended up in a Texas hospital to have his arm reattached. (News source.)

Helping Overseas

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Venom Response Team helped US Army doctors track down antivenom and treat an Iraqi officer who had been bitten by a cobra. (News source.)

Gator Attack Victim Gets New Device

An alligator attack victim has received newly designed technology (a grafted patch of human skin). (News source.)

Herps and Culture

Bolivian hunters target a species of tree lizard for tradional medicine. (News source.)

Frogs are an important traditional food source in Madagascar. (News source.)

Venom Extraction for Cancer Researchers

Copperhead venom contains a protein of interest to cancer researchers, and a SC man extracts the venom for research. (News source.)

Gator Bite Update

Surgeons managed to save the thumb, but only half of the index finger, after the recent gator bite on a Florida man's hand. Details here.

Amphibians

A new (strange-looking) toad found in Tanzania, pictured here.

Researchers are looking at a compound in tadpoles as a potential resource to prevent skin cancer. (News source.)

Herp-Related Salmonella

Four cases of reptile (turtle) related salmonella were reported from Lewis and Clark County, Montana, last year. (News source.)

[So don't slather your turtles in peanut butter...]

Snakebites

A woman bitten by a rattlesnake in California ended up with close to $150,000 in medical bills, with no health insurance (due to a "lack of faith" in Western medicine). (News source.)

A tiger snake bite victim is going through rehabilitation. (News source.)

A couple more Australian snake bites noted here.

Antivenom?

A Kansas dog breeder used Azium to treat an alleged rattlesnake bite, as reported in this piece. The news article (an outdoors column) calls Azium an antivenom, though, which is incorrect... It may have helped with some symptomatic relief (I'm not a toxicologist or doctor, so no statements of fact here), but the columnist is doing a major disservice (and a dangerous one) in spreading false medical information.

[Update: Per a recent comment, no, I'm not going to comment on their site. I've already sent a letter to their editor. I don't believe it is up to an online "community" to correct this sort of misinformation, (at most, we can bring issues to attention, and even then, public forums are low-rung options); it is up to medical professionals to correct medical information.]

Venomous News

An Australian man was bitten by a brown snake on a Gold Coast beach. (News source.)

The drug Viprinex, using viper toxin to fight strokes, has been cancelled, failing a large drug trial. The CEO was retired/fired. (News source.)

A village in Thailand takes extra precautions for their king cobras, which they breed, during colder weather. (News source.)

Snakebites: Neglected "Tropical Disease"

A Florida man was bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake. (News source.)

Three snakebites here from Australia.

A copperhead bit a young Texas boy. (News source.)

A young Australian teenager survived a tiger snake bite, when it fortunately didn't envenomate. (News source.)

A new report calls snakebites a "neglected tropical disease," which kills up to 94,000 victims a year. (News source.)

Parasites Continue to Kill

An infestation of bristleworms continues to kill Australian chelonians. (News source.)

Snakebite News

A California woman bitten by a rattlesnake ended up waiting in an emergency room for three hours as antivenom was delivered from another hospital. A discussion of the events here.

Four snakebites are reported from Israel. (News source.)

Antivenom Paper

Noted on Venom-L, there is a free downloadable (pdf) paper:

The ‘‘Worldwide Shortage’’ of Antisnake Venom: Is the Only Right Answer ‘‘Produce More’’ Or Is It Also ‘‘Use It Smarter?’’

Ian D. Simpson
Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 19, 99 107 (2008)

Snakebite News

A UK reptile enthusiast was bitten by a death adder at a specialty reptile shop. After he was released from the hospital, he decided to keep the snake. (News source.)

A 12-year old North Carolina girl was treated for a copperhead bite on her ankle. (News source.)

A 3-year old Florida boy was treated for a pygmy rattlesnake bite. (News source.)

Details are pending, but a North Carolina woman may have died due to a rattlesnake bite this past Memorial Day. (News source.)

Rattlesnake Bites Getting Worse?

Five people have died from extreme symptoms in rattlesnake bites in Arizona since 2002, prompting toxicological investigation. (News source.)

Viprinex Trials

Two Milwaukee area hospitals are testing the new drug Viprinex, made from Malayan pit viper venom, for stroke treatment. (News source.)

Pig-Frog Leg Alert

Don't eat pig-frog legs from the Everglades region, the state says, due to elevated mercury levels. (News source.)

Gator Blood Fights Disease

Proteins from the blood of alligators may find their way into human medicine. Medical researchers are looking for ways to harness gators' strong immunological resistance in future medical treatments. (News source.)

Plastic Surgery for Cobra Victim

UK donations have paid for initial plastic surgery for a young boy who was disfigured when a cobra spat in his face. (News source.)

Madagascar Hissers & Mold

Have an allergy to Madagascar hissing cockroaches? Might be due to the mold species associated with the insect and feces, several of which are known allergens. (News source.)

Toads vs Cancer

Australian scientists are investigating toad toxins for anti-cancer purposes. (News source.)

Snake Venoms

Popular Science has an article on snake venoms.

An article here on Viprinix, an experimental drug to dissolve blood clots, using the venom of the Malaysian pit viper.

Frogs Against Diabetes

The South American paradoxical frog (Pseudis paradoxa) has compounds in its skin that may help medical researchers in the fight against diabetes. (News source.)

Gecko-Mimicking Bandages

Some US researchers have devised a waterproof sticky bandage based on principles found in some geckos' sticky feet. (News source.)

Snakebite Treatment Tragedy

A South African baby, treated for snake bite (probably puff adder) on her toes, not only had four toes amputated, and a fasciotomy on the leg, but due to problems incurred when a nurse incorrectly inserting an intravenous drip in her left arm, doctors decided to amputate that arm. (News source.)

More Antivenom News

First, the Australian Broadcasting Commission will be screening a documentary on corruption and scamming in PNG, creating an illegal market for antivenom, and making it difficult to acquire legally. (News source.)

Second, the Echitab Study Group, with UK support, will be setting up an antivenom production facility in Gombe, Nigeria, with governmental approval. (News source.)

Scorpion Venom for Medicine

OK, not a herp, but interesting: a peptide (GaTx1 peptide) from the Giant Israeli Scorpion, Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus, may help researchers understand how to control cystic fibrosis and other secretory diseases. (News source.)

Reptile Encounters

A Zambia man fought off a crocodile that attacked him in Southern Province. (News source.)

An Israeli man milking venom at the country's only venom extraction facility was bitten by a viper. He was hospitalized, and experienced severe symptoms: "He vomited, had abdominal pain, and his blood pressure went dangerously low. Soon, the palm of the bitten hand became severely swollen, causing the doctors to fear that the swelling could spread throughout his body." Antivenom stabilized him, and the arm was saved. (News source.)

Doesn't Sound Good...

From India: "While 18,000 people on an average are bitten by snakes and 900 of them die from the poison in the state’s rural areas every year, doctors at the primary health centres mostly suffer from lack of confidence in administering the right dosage of anti-snake venom."

A WHO medical expert says most bites are treated according to the procedures found in Western medical texts, which aren't always applicable to the "reality" (not sure what that means) in Asian countries. (News source.)

CDC Report on Turtle Salmonella

The CDC is fighting back against proposals to allow turtle sales, recently releasing a report that points to turtles being responsible for illness in 33 states. (News source.)

Snakebites

A 10-year old Australian girl survived a brown snake bite. (News source.)

Snakebites in Ghana may be under-reported. (News source.)

Malaysia: Death by Toad

During a fishing trip, a Malaysian man caught and cooked a toad, eating it and its eggs, sharing it with his nephew. Shortly after, they began foaming at the mouth and vomiting. They were rushed to the hospital, but the man died on the way. The nephew is recovering. (News source.)

Sea Turtle Stories

Australian researchers had previously moved several sea turtle nests further up the beach from the water, which appears to have saved them from recent king tides and swells that hit the beach. (News source.)

A documentary in the making focuses on 25 years in the life of a loggerhead sea turtle. (News source.)

Three people in Kenya died after eating the meat of an endangered sea turtle. (No mention of what tainted the meat.) (News source.)

The Cost of a Snakebite

Here's an article discussing the costs for treatment of an elderly Canadian man who was bitten by a pygmy rattler while vacationing in Florida.

Croc News

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust has hatched six Cuvier's dwarf caiman, the first time for that species in South Asia. (News source.)

The Taiwanese veterinarian who lost his arm to a crocodile has had it reattached. (News source.)

A Russian crocodile smuggler was caught red-handed at the Cairo International Airport with baby crocs, turtles, and lizards. He was deported, and the animals confiscated. (News source.)

Alligators & Anti-Scarring

An anti-scar drug is being developed based on research on alligator embryos, where researchers found transforming growth factor beta-3. (News source.)

British Columbia Cobra Bite

A Surrey, B.C., man was bitten by his pet cobra, and may lose a finger (or a hand). Hospital doesn't want to administer antivenom yet. (And, correctly refuses to give the home-made "antivenom" concoction a friend sent to the keeper.) (News source.)

Snakebite Stories

From around the world:

Hindu priests in Choto Pashla, India, say that cobra bites in their village must be treated traditionally; if they go to the hospital, it's "at their own risk." Villagers are torn, and government officials are puzzled as to why the traditional treatment seems to work some of the time (though not all the time). (News source.)

Australian doctors believe that too many deaths from brown snakes occur due to mishandling of treatment, and slow response after the bite to seek treatment. (News source.)

US Forces in Korea are warned not to play with snakes, as there are several venomous species in the area. One soldier was recently bitten by a viper while clearing brush. (News source.)

Salmonella Death

It looks like a baby map turtle might be responsible for the death of an infant (the article is not specific, but it looks like this took place in Florida). Salmonella meningitis was the cause of death. The family is planning to sue the flea market where they got the baby turtle. (News source.)

Without trivializing the tragedy here, let me point out two things brought up by the article: 1) the problem here is not that a baby turtle was involved, but that a turtle of any size was brought into the home with an infant. All reptiles (and dogs, cats, etc.) have the potential for carrying salmonella. The rule about baby turtles is in place because small children have a bad habit of sticking things in their mouths; obviously, that wasn't a factor in this case. An infant is incapable of doing that, so it isn't the size of the turtle that is an issue. It's just a common sense health issue. Infants and reptiles (and most other pets) don't mix. 2) the ban on selling turtles under four inches is limited to business sales; the FDA has an exemption for non-commercial sales.

International Snakebites

An Australian farmer was hospitalized after being bitten by a 1.5 meter brown snake. (News source.)

There's a good bit of controversy over the death of a young boy in India who died from snakebite; the parents say the hospital refused to treat until they had enough money for a security deposit, and the doctors say the boy was brought in too late to save. (News source.)

India Snakebites

Health Services Maharashtra (India) is looking into the increase in snakebites in that region, and is evaluating the medical treatment. (News source)

The Cost of a Snakebite

A New York woman, visiting Tucson, AZ, was bitten several times on her feet by a rattlesnake. Health care costs were over $90,000, and she's without medical insurance. (News source.)

Bearded Dragon Emergency

A 12-inch bearded dragon ended up in the veterinary hospital after swallowing a 7-inch rubber lizard. The vet noted that owners should be careful about what they place with their pets. (News source.)

Man Loses Arm to Gator

A 59-year-old man lost an arm to a gator at the Lake Moultrie recreation area, SC. The Rescue Squad killed the alligator and retrieved the arm so doctors could evaluate whether it could be reattached. (News source.)

Frogs and Salamanders for Medical Research

Amphibian cell regeneration is being studied in the UK to find a way to treat burn victims. (News source.)

Gila Monster Drug

A new drug for Diabetes has been synthesized, based on a hormone found in the saliva of the Gila monster. (News source.)

Teflon Frog Antibiotics

A nonstick version of antibiotics found naturally in frog skins may be more effective at fighting bacteria. (News source.)

Seattle Zoo Python Dies

Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo lost their 18-foot female reticulated python during surgery for removing retained eggs. (News source.)

Australian Navy Helps Sea Turtle

A hawksbill sea turtle with pneumonia was rescued by the Australian navy when found drifting in the Darwin harbor. It is being treated at the Ark Animal Hospital. (News source.)

Anaconda Goes to the Vet

Sedating a yellow anaconda for its radiation therapy is not as easy as it sounds... (News source.)

Malayan Pit Viper Medicine

Malayan pit viper venom is being tested as medicine for stroke victims. The drug, Viprinex or Ancrod, could be given up to six hours after onset of stroke to break up blood clots. (News source.)

Frog Enzyme Fights Tumors

Amphinase, an enzyme found in leopard frog eggs, targets and attacks tumor cells. UK researchers believe it has great potential, specifically for brain tumor treatment. (News source.)

Sea Turtle Surgery

A loggerhead sea turtle underwent surgery for a head injury at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. (News source.)

Malayan Pit Viper Venom in Medicine

65 hospitals are participating in a study for a trial drug utilizing an anticoagulant from venom of the Malayan pit viper. The drug is hoped to help break up blood clots in ischemic stroke victims, reducing greater brain cell damage. (News source.)