Venomous snakes of Israel: ecology and snakebite

Public Health Rev. 1998;26(3):209-32.

Abstract

Ten species of venomous snakes belonging to three families occur in Israel and in Jordan, some of which may pose a serious threat to humans. Specific, local antivenins are available against only two of the species, while against others regional or European preparations are used. It is suggested that in addition to the monospecific anti-Vipera palaestinae, a polyspecific antivenin be prepared against the clinically most important venomous snakes of the region, namely, Echis coloratus, Pseudocerastes fieldi, Cerastes cerastes, Walterinnesia aegyptia, and Atractaspis engaddensis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antivenins / therapeutic use*
  • Ecology
  • Elapidae
  • Humans
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Snake Bites / therapy*
  • Snake Venoms / chemistry
  • Snake Venoms / toxicity
  • Snakes* / classification
  • Viperidae / anatomy & histology

Substances

  • Antivenins
  • Snake Venoms