Detailed description, with personal experience, of a neurotoxic envenomation due to Vipera berus bosniensis bite in Vojvodina, Serbia

Abstract

The case we described here is among only a dozen bites inflicted by adders in the region of the Vršačke planine Mountains recorded during the past 40 years. The previously healthy 43-year old man was bitten on his middle finger. The snake only scratched the patient’s skin under the nail, with only one fang. The symptoms the man experienced were typical of neurotoxic envenomation with minimal local reaction. The standard medical procedure was undertaken: the antivenin and the usual symptomatic therapy were administered. The patient spent six days in the hospital and was discharged in good condition. Nevertheless, subjectively, he fully recovered only after 10–12 days. We found only three publications describing specifically the consequences of the bites by Vipera berus bosniensis from the neighboring countries and one from the surroundings of Vršac, hence our report is an important addition to the experience regarding this medical issue. As the reports of venomous snakebites in Serbia in general are extremely rare – althouth the bites are not – the details we provided here are of considerable importance for both physicians and laypeople.