The deaths caused by the bites of the deadly venomous Russell's Viper, commonly known as 'Chandrabora' in Bangla, are increasing alarmingly in all districts under the Rajshahi region, specially, in the districts surrounded by the rivers and
farmlands.
Other species of venomous snakes usually inject one or two types of poisons into the blood but the venoms of Russell's Viper contain more than two types of poison which are simultaneously Hemotoxic, Renotoxic, Myotoxic and Neurotoxic which affect the blood, kidney, muscles, tissues and the nervous system.
As a result, physicians are facing challenges with the treatment of the Russell's Viper bite patients.
For a patient being bitten by other species of venomous snakes, Indian Anti-venoms are injected as the antidote, still, 10 to 15 per cent of such patients die even after treating with the anti-venoms. But, in the case of a patient bitten by the Russll's Viper, the percentage of death is more than the double, nearly 30 per cent.
Under such a situation scientists are trying to develop more effective 'Antibodies' fit to work as antivenom for Russell's viper.
The number of deaths caused by the venom of Russell's viper bite is more in the northern region of the country. According to statistics of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, in 2018, 21 Russell's viper bite patients were admitted to RMCH of whom eight died, in 2019 eight among 28 patients died, in 2020 a total of 13 among 35 patients dies, in 2021, 10 among 37 patients died and in 2022, 10 among 31 patients bitten by Russell's vipers died at RMCH. In 2023 till now five among 14 patients died. The rate of death from Russell's viper's bite is nearly 30 per cent which is more than double the deaths by other varieties of snake bites. The number of Russell's viper bite patients at RMCH is more from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi districts, then from Naogaon, Pabna and Kushtia districts.
Dr Abu Shahin, Associate Professor of Naogaon Medical College Hospital, who is an efficient physician for snake bite patients, informed 30 per cent of Russell's viper bite patients died even after injecting anti-venoms while in case of the patients bitten by other varieties of venomous snakes, the death rate is 10 to 15 per cent.
Explaining the cause of increased death from Russell's viper bite, Dr Abu Shahin said, the poison of the viper affects simultaneously the blood, kidney, muscle and nervous system of patients. The main cause of death from the bite of the viper is admitting the patients late in the hospital and a delayed pushing of antivenom in the patient's body.
He further mentioned, the anti-venom to a snake bite patient should be pushed as soon as possible. In the case of pushing anti-venom soon, the complexities of patients decreased and the death rate also decreased.
It is learnt, the process of preparing anti-body for Russell's Viper venom has been started at the Venom Research Centre of Chattogram Medical College. Dr Abdullah Abu Sayed, Assistant Professor of the Department of Medicine of Chattogram University and Co-ordinator of Venom Research Centre informed, the anti-body for Russell's viper venom is being developed in the laboratory locally to show how much effective it is.
Borhan Biswas Romon, Herpetologist of Rajshahi informed he has been conducting research on various snakes in Bangladesh. Russell's viper was once thought to be extinct from the country but it is not correct. No survey was conducted in this connection. The viper was detected freshly in the Barind area of Rajshahi in 2009. Then the snake was found in Chapainwabganj in 2010, near Rajshahi City in 2011, in Gopalpur of Natore in 2012, in Rooppur of Pabna in 2013, in the river Gorai in 2014 and in Charbhadrashan under Chandpur district in 2015. He mentioned, the Viper lives mainly in the river banks, charland and in the Barind region. So, people of the region should be aware of this deadly viper. Farmers of the areas should use gum-boot during their work in the field and machine crop harvester should be used during cutting of crops.
