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  1. #21

    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Good morning. We ecounter black mambas fairly often in the lowveld. In fact, there was a specimen that lived in our thatch roof for years, among other incidents. It seems anti-venoms for this snake are rare and only selected hospitals carry it. How much truth is in this? It would be a bad day picking up a mamba bite only to arrive at an incorrect hospital.

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  2. #22
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    There are only two types of anti venom for South African snakes. Polyvalent and monovalent
    Monovalent anti venom is made only for boomslang bites. This antivenom is kept at Ondersterpoort and is only shipped out to confirmed boomslang bites. Mono = 1

    Polyvalent is kept by most hospitals and made from a blend of all the other serious snakes such as Mambas, cobras, adders. It is an all in one anti venom if you like. Poly = many.

    So the anti venom used to treat a Mamba bite is the same as the anti venom used to treat a puff adder bite or Rhinkals bite etc.

  3. #23
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    As for arriving at the wrong hospital, they should be able to treat your symptoms and keep you alive long enough to recieve anti venom if they dont have.

    I have heard stories of people being bitten by mambas who have an allergy to the anti venom being kept alive on life support until the body has processed the venom.

    This scenerio is obviously not ideal and the recovery time is dramatically increased and painfull. But a win is a win when it's a game of life or death.

    Anti venom is not a magic drug that you inject into the bite victim and they go home the next day

  4. #24
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Quote Originally Posted by Ddeswardt View Post
    There are only two types of anti venom for South African snakes. Polyvalent and monovalent
    Monovalent anti venom is made only for boomslang bites. This antivenom is kept at Ondersterpoort and is only shipped out to confirmed boomslang bites. Mono = 1

    Polyvalent is kept by most hospitals and made from a blend of all the other serious snakes such as Mambas, cobras, adders. It is an all in one anti venom if you like. Poly = many.

    So the anti venom used to treat a Mamba bite is the same as the anti venom used to treat a puff adder bite or Rhinkals bite etc.
    Thanks, that's very interesting.

  5. #25
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Growing up in Nelspruit and surrounds mamba encounters were fairly common. Not only that but rinkhals, mozam cobra and boomslang too.

    Family friends of friends lost a son to a mamba bite many years ago in Mpumalanga - far out on a farm, young child of 8 years old envenvenomated with a large amount of venom. Was DOA at the hospital 1.5 hours later.

  6. #26
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Well done Doc

    How is the patient today?

  7. #27
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Thanks for sharing Doc.

    Mamba bites are nothing to sneeze at.

    Doc if transit time is long would you advise tourniquet rather than compression bandage?

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  8. #28

    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Quote Originally Posted by Ddeswardt View Post
    There are only two types of anti venom for South African snakes. Polyvalent and monovalent
    Monovalent anti venom is made only for boomslang bites. This antivenom is kept at Ondersterpoort and is only shipped out to confirmed boomslang bites. Mono = 1

    Polyvalent is kept by most hospitals and made from a blend of all the other serious snakes such as Mambas, cobras, adders. It is an all in one anti venom if you like. Poly = many.

    So the anti venom used to treat a Mamba bite is the same as the anti venom used to treat a puff adder bite or Rhinkals bite etc.
    Thank you most kindly for clearing that up. Changes my perspective on snake bite.

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  9. #29
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite


  10. #30
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    Default Re: Black mamba bite

    Thank you for info Doc, and thanks for sharing. Good luck to the bite victim !! Have encountered a number of these mamba's while hunting as a PH in the Messina area, scary although magnificent snakes. Luckily every time we could go our own seperate ways in peace.

    And thank you for the anti-venom info as well Ddeswardt, we learn something new every day !

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