NTD Intelligence

Snakebite envenoming

Neglected tropical disease intelligence: burden, staged therapeutics with published-evidence filter, and documented post-infectious syndrome with literature persistence rates.

Deaths / year
100,000
GBD (indicative unless refreshed)
DALYs / year
3,000,000
GBD
Pathogen
Venom
Post-infectious
Lasting sequela
Persistent symptoms
n/a
survivors of envenoming

Post-infectious syndrome & persistent symptoms

Whether a post-acute infection syndrome is documented and the literature proportion with persistent symptoms.

Documented post-infectious syndrome
Chronic post-envenoming disability (CKD, amputation, chronic pain, PTSD)
not quantified
persistent symptoms — of survivors of envenoming
Summary
Long-term physical disability, chronic kidney disease, amputation and psychological sequelae in a meaningful minority of survivors; global estimate ~400,000 with permanent sequelae/yr. Single pooled % not established.
Timeframe
chronic post-envenoming
Evidence strength
moderate
Classification
Lasting sequela
Sources: WHO snakebite strategy 2019; Waiddyanatha 2022

Therapeutic agents by stage

Vector control, prevention, acute treatment, and post-infectious care. Only agents with published evidence are shown by default.

Prevention

AgentTypeStatusMechanism / roleSource
Habitat modification & protective footwearPreventionApprovedReduce human–snake contactWHO snakebite strategy

Acute phase

AgentTypeStatusMechanism / roleSource
Species-specific antivenomAntivenomApprovedImmunoglobulin neutralization of venom toxinsWHO EML / standard of care
Supportive care (airway, fluids, antitetanus)SupportiveApprovedAntivenom is definitive; supportive adjunctsWHO snakebite strategy

Post-infectious phase

AgentTypeStatusMechanism / roleSource
CKD, amputation & pain rehabilitationRehabilitationApprovedChronic post-envenoming disabilityWaiddyanatha 2022

Associated drug targets (Open Targets): —

Burden: IHME GBD (indicative seed unless refreshed) · Therapeutics: curated WHO EML / SOC + Open Targets pipeline · Post-infectious data: curated peer-reviewed literature · Ontology: MONDO_0018669 · Updated 2026-07-10. Associations, not a diagnostic test.

Generated by OSMF NTD Intelligence Pipeline · Open Source Medicine Foundation