Serious snakebite and other snake related injury (all ages)

August 2008

There were 742 admissions to hospital in Victoria for snake-related injury over the four-and-a half year period from July 2002 to December 2006, an average of 165 case per year. Of the 742 hospital admissions, 60% involved venomous snakes, 8% involved non-venomous snakes, while the remaining 32% involved snakes of an unknown type.

Age: Snake bites were fairly evenly distributed among all age groups except the elderly. Cases were most frequent among children under fifteen and adults aged 30-54 years, and least frequent among persons aged 65 of older.

The most affected 5-year age groups were 10-14 year olds, 50-55 year olds and children aged four or younger, each representing approximately 9% of all cases.

Gender: Males were more frequently admitted to hospital for snake bite injury than females at a ratio of approximately 2:1 (478 male vs. 264 female). This imbalance may be related to occupational and recreational exposure (more males working in outdoor and rural occupations and participating in outdoor recreation activities) as well as to greater risk-taking behaviour in males (for example catching and keeping snakes).

Source: VAED July '02- December '06
Figure 1: Snake related hospital admissions by age group (n=742)

Snake type: 'Brown Snake' was the type of snake most frequently involved in venomous snakebite related admissions (33%), followed by 'Tiger Snake' (15%) and 'Black Snake' (4%). All other types of venomous snakes accounted for 8% of cases.

Bites or crushing from non-venomous snakes accounted for 8% of admissions. In the remaining 32% of cases it was undetermined whether the snake involved was venomous or not.

Length of stay: In 91% of cases the patient was in hospital for less than two days. In 8% of cases a stay of between two and seven days was required, while the remaining 1% required a stay of eight days or more.

Contact with a tiger snake resulted in the longest length of stay, with 30% of cases requiring a stay of 2-7 days and a further 5% for eight days or more. Twenty percent of black snake cases had a stay in hospital of two to seven days. While brown snake incidents were the most common they resulted in the shortest lengths of stay, with 94% of cases staying one day or less and 6% between 2-7 days. All non-venomous snakebite injury cases were discharged within one day.

Injury prevention (safety tips): Leave snakes alone. If a snake is seen, walk away quietly, do not attempt to kill it.

Wear stout shoes and adequate clothing in 'snake country'. Never put hands in hollow logs or thick grass without prior inspection. Always use a torch around camps and farmhouses at night  most snakes are active on summer nights.

Keep sheds and fodder storage areas free of mice and rats; they will attract snakes. Keep grass well cut. Never let children collect venomous snakes.

Source: VAED July '02- December '06
Figure 2: Length of stay in hospital, snake related injury (n=742) Companies with employees in remote or rural locations should develop a management plan in case of envenomation, suitable to their industry, locality and the activities undertaken by their workers.

First aid: Research has shown that very little venom reaches the blood stream if pressure is applied over the bitten area and the limb is immobilised.

Apply a broad pressure bandage over the bite site as soon as is possible. Bandage upward from the lower portion of the bitten limb. Apply a splint to the limb and bind it firmly to as much of the limb as possible. Treat all bites as potentially venomous and seek immediate medical attention.

Further information: For further information on snakebite injury, view 'Hazard' edition 35: [719KB]

Data source: Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED) July 2002 to December 2006 (4.5 years).

Search Strategy: Cases where the first occurring injury cause code was 'X20.0: Contact with venomous snake' 'W59.0: Bitten or crushed by non-venomous snake' and 'W39.1: bitten or crushed by snake, unknown if venomous or non-venomous