Profile of snakebite cases admitted to the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital in northern Vietnam from 2008 to 2020.

BACKGROUND

Vietnam harbours a high species richness of venomous snakes with >60 recognised species but snakebite pathology and treatment are still understudied, particularly in northern Vietnam.

METHODS

A retrospective study from 2008 to 2020 was conducted, focusing on snakebite cases at the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, a major centre in northern Vietnam for treating envenoming incidents.

RESULTS

A total of 5805 snakebite cases were reported over 12 y. The demography of patients was predominantly male snakebite victims (70%), middle-aged (30-59 y) and mostly from rural districts. Cobra (Naja spp.) attacks were the main culprit, accounting for 39% of cases, and most snakebites occurred in the rainy season. The majority of patients were from Hanoi, but the percentage of cases from other provinces increased over the years up to 75% in 2020. The highest number of snakebites were recorded from communes with snake farms.

CONCLUSIONS

Male gender, rainy season, rural residency and snake farming were identified as major risk factors for contracting snakebites. Multicentre hospital studies, cross-sectional community surveys and a central snakebite database are needed to better understand and deal with snakebites in Vietnam.