Routine Antibiotic vs. Directed Antibiotic Treatment in Snake Bite

Summary

Clinicians tend to overuse antibiotics in snake bite despite evidence from three previous clinical trials that failed to show a benefit. But, none of these trials was done in India. Further, the species of snake in two of these trials was quite different from that seen in the Indian setting limiting generalization of these findings. Hence, home-grown evidence is needed to persuade clinicians to use antibiotics rationally.

Timeline

Start

2016-05-03

Primary completion

2019-10-24

Completion

2020-03-31

Publications

• Background Terry P, Mackway-Jones K. Towards evidence based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. The use of antibiotics in venomous snake bite. Emerg Med J. 2002 Jan;19(1):48-9. doi: 10.1136/emj.19.1.48.
• Background Terry P, Mackway-Jones K. Towards evidence based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Antibiotics in non-venomous snakebite. Emerg Med J. 2002 Mar;19(2):142. doi: 10.1136/emj.19.2.142.
• Background Jorge MT, Malaque C, Ribeiro LA, Fan HW, Cardoso JL, Nishioka SA, Sano-Martins IS, Franca FO, Kamiguti AS, Theakston RD, Warrell DA. Failure of chloramphenicol prophylaxis to reduce the frequency of abscess formation as a complication of envenoming by Bothrops snakes in Brazil: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Sep;98(9):529-34. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2003.12.009.
• Background Kularatne SA, Kumarasiri PV, Pushpakumara SK, Dissanayaka WP, Ariyasena H, Gawarammana IB, Senanayake N. Routine antibiotic therapy in the management of the local inflammatory swelling in venomous snakebites: results of a placebo-controlled study. Ceylon Med J. 2005 Dec;50(4):151-5. doi: 10.4038/cmj.v50i4.1405.
• Background Kerrigan KR, Mertz BL, Nelson SJ, Dye JD. Antibiotic prophylaxis for pit viper envenomation: prospective, controlled trial. World J Surg. 1997 May;21(4):369-72; discussion 372-3. doi: 10.1007/pl00012255.
• Background Mohapatra B, Warrell DA, Suraweera W, Bhatia P, Dhingra N, Jotkar RM, Rodriguez PS, Mishra K, Whitaker R, Jha P; Million Death Study Collaborators. Snakebite mortality in India: a nationally representative mortality survey. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011 Apr 12;5(4):e1018. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001018.
• Gautam A, Indu MB, Bhardwaj A, Sabitha P, Deepanjali S, Suryanarayana BS, Bammigatti C, Kadhiravan T. Clinically directed initiation versus routine use of amoxicillin-clavulanate and the risk of local complications among patients with haemotoxic snakebite envenomation treated at a teaching hospital in southern India: a randomised, non-inferiority trial. BMJ Open. 2025 Jun 23;15(6):e094409. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094409.

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Indications