Alterations of the blood coagulation system after accidental human inoculation by Bothrops jararaca venom.

Blood coagulation studies carried out on 78 patients up to 30 h after they were bitten by Bothrops jararaca snakes demonstrated clotting defects in 37 patients which included afibrinogenemia, reduced levels of prothrombin, of factors V and VIII, thrombocytopenia and activation of the fibrinolytic system. Factor IX and X levels were within normal range for all patients. These in vitro data suggest that the disseminated intravascular clotting observed in vivo following envenomation may be triggered by the intravascular release of patient thrombin by snake venom enzymes.