What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Argentine Painted Lancehead Pitviper Snake Bite
• Bothrops Diporus Snake Bite

What is Chaco Lancehead Snake Bite? (Definition/Background Information)

• The Chaco lancehead snake (Bothrops diporus) is a venomous snake that ranges in size from 2-4 feet in length. The snake belongs to the subspecies of pit vipers, family Viperidae. Pit vipers are termed so, due to the presence of certain heat-sensing organs located in a recess/notch between their eyes and nostrils
• This reptile is found at elevations of about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in the savannah grasslands, thorn scrubs, and semitropical and tropical deciduous forests of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay in the South American continent. It is a nocturnal snake that hunts at night, feeding mainly on rodents, small mammals, other snakes, lizards, and frogs
• Not much information is available on this reptile. The Chaco lancehead snake has a medium-sized body. The head of the snake is broad and shaped like a lance (spear) and distinct from its neck. The snake color varies from medium to dark brown; it has a patterned row of white-edged dark-brown to black blotches on the sides
• Chaco Lancehead Snake Bites involving humans are very uncommon. Even though infrequent, a bite from a fully-grown snake has the potential to result in severe envenomation (venom injection) with significant symptoms, in the absence of adequate treatment. The snake venom is a potent mix of hemotoxins and can cause hypovolemic shock and renal failure; the rate of envenomation is approximately 40-60%
• In general, the signs and symptoms of Chaco Lancehead Snake Bite may include moderate to severe pain at the bite site and local swelling with bruising, blistering, and tissue necrosis. In case of systemic symptoms, the bite can result in headache, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, seizures, and collapse
• Early administration of suitable antivenom (or antivenin) is the mainstay of treatment. Apart from this, symptomatic treatment is necessary, which may include the use of pain medication, wound care, blood transfusion, and breathing support, if needed. The prognosis of Chaco Lancehead Snake Bite with prompt and effective therapy is usually good; fatalities are known to take place infrequently