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
| Agent | Type | Status | Mechanism / role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat modification & protective footwear | Prevention | Approved | Reduce human–snake contact | WHO snakebite strategy |
Acute phase
| Agent | Type | Status | Mechanism / role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species-specific antivenom | Antivenom | Approved | Immunoglobulin neutralization of venom toxins | WHO EML / standard of care |
| Supportive care (airway, fluids, antitetanus) | Supportive | Approved | Antivenom is definitive; supportive adjuncts | WHO snakebite strategy |
Post-infectious phase
| Agent | Type | Status | Mechanism / role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CKD, amputation & pain rehabilitation | Rehabilitation | Approved | Chronic post-envenoming disability | Waiddyanatha 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: — · Updated 2026-07-10. Associations, not a diagnostic test.