Poisonous snake bite in children in Sokoto, north western Nigeria
Mu'uta Ibrahim, Maryam Abdullahi
Department of Paediatric, Unmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Mu'uta Ibrahim Department of Paediatric, Unmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto Nigeria
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
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In a fi ve year period . thirty cases of poisonous snak e bite in children were recorded at the department of peadiatrics. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital sokoto. There were 18 males and 12 females. given a
.F. ratio o f 1.5 : I . The highest number of bite (60%) occurred in the farm during the rainy season. All patients
had either local or syst ematic signs of' envenomation. at presentation to hospital. There was a mean delay period of
18 hours between time of' bite and presentation at the hospital. A II of the victims have had traditional medicine administered at home before reporting to hospital. At admission polyvalent anti snake venom was administered when available. ()\·era// mortality was 10.0 percent, which is similar to figures reported from other centres in
Africa. it is recommended that polyvalent anti snake venom be made available in all health care facilities. Public enlightenment campaign on early presentation to hospital and dangers ofdelay in snake bite care should also be canvassed
