Implications of global environmental change for the burden of snakebite

Abstract

Snakebite envenoming is a set of intoxication diseases that disproportionately affect people of poor socioeconomic backgrounds in tropical countries. As it is highly dependent on the environment its burden is expected to shift spatially with global anthropogenic environmental (climate, land use) and demographic change. The mechanisms underlying the changes to snakebite epidemiology are related to factors of snakes and humans. The distribution and abundance of snakes are expected to change with global warming via their thermal tolerance, while rainfall may affect the timing of key activities like feeding and reproduction. Human population growth is the primary cause of land-use change, which may impact snakes at smaller spatial scales than climate via habitat and biodiversity loss (e.g. prey availability). Human populations, on the other hand, could experience novel patterns and morbidity of snakebite envenoming, both as a result of snake responses to environmental change and due to the development of agricultural adaptations to climate change, socioeconomic and cultural changes, development and availability of better antivenoms, personal protective equipment, and mechanization of agriculture that mediate risk of encounters with snakes and their outcomes. The likely global effects of environmental and demographic change are thus context-dependent and could encompass both increasing and or snakebite burden (incidence, number of cases or morbidity), exposing new populations to snakes in temperate areas due to “tropicalization”, or by land use change-induced snake biodiversity loss, respectively. Tackling global change requires drastic measures to ensure large-scale ecosystem functionality. However, as ecosystems represent the main source of venomous snakes their conservation should be accompanied by comprehensive public health campaigns. The challenges associated with the joint efforts of biodiversity conservation and public health professionals should be considered in the global sustainability agenda in a wider context that applies to neglected tropical and zoonotic and emerging diseases.

Assessment of Risk Factors, Prehospital Measures and Clinical Needs of Patients Admitted With Snake Envenomation at a Rural Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago

“…Snakebite has been linked to wet seasons. This is due to the rain-washing snakes out from the higher ground to the lower ground [ 18 ]. The wet season in Trinidad usually begins sometime in May and ends in November [ 19 ].…”

Snakebite envenoming at MSF: A decade of clinical challenges and antivenom access issues

“…Third, like other “One Health” issues, snakebite is at the intersection of humans, animals, and the environment, and our approach to comprehensive care must expand beyond health facilities, particularly in the face of increasing climate change and global environmental change where snake-human contacts are likely to increase, and with this a probable rise in snakebites ( Martín et al, 2021 ). The experience in Abdurafi was key in driving referrals and should be replicated elsewhere.…”

Current situation of snakebites envenomation in the Neotropics: Biotechnology, a versatile tool in the production of antivenoms.

“…Agriculture causes geographic and ecological change in ecosystems, as forests are replaced by cultivated croplands 71 . Humans have been engaged in agricultural activities such as planting crops and raising animals since the Paleolithic era (12 000 to 5 000 years BP), which continued over the millennia to the present day [72][73][74] . Many people do this job and find themselves vulnerable to venomous snakebites [75][76][77] .…”