Stepping into a dangerous quagmire: environmental determinants of human-lancehead pit vipers (Bothrops genus) contact resulting in injuries, Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Despite significant and successful efforts in Brazil regarding snakebites in the areas of research, antivenom manufacture and quality control, training of health professionals in the diagnosis and clinical management of bites, little is known about determinants of snakebites incidence in order to further plan interventions to reduce the impact of this medical condition. Understanding the complexity of ecological interactions in a geographical region is important for prediction, prevention and control measures of snakebites. The aim of this investigation is to describe spatial distribution and identify environmental determinants of humanlancehead pit vipers (Bothrops genus) contact resulting in injuries, in the Brazilian Amazon. Aggregated data by municipality was used to analyze the spatial distribution of Bothrops bites cases and its relationship with geographic and environmental factors. Eight geo-environmental factors were included in the analysis as independent variables: (1) tree canopy loss increase; (2) area with vegetation cover; (3) area covered by water bodies; (4) altitude; (5) precipitation; (6) air relative humidity; (7) soil moisture; and (8) air temperature. Humanlancehead pit vipers (Bothrops genus) contact resulting in envenomings in the Amazon region is more incident in lowlands [-0.0006827 (IC95%: -0.0007705; -0.0005949), p<0.0001], with high preserved original vegetation cover [0.0065439 (IC95%: 0.0070757; 0.0060121), p<0.0001], with heaviest rainfall [0.0000976 (IC95%: 0.0000925; 0.0001026), p<0.0001] and higher air relative humidity [-0.0081773 (IC95%: -0.0107681; -0.0055865), p<0.0001]. This association is interpreted as the result of the higher forest productivity and abundance of pit vipers in such landscapes.