Greater certainty and faster treatment for snake bite

Australian Brown Snake

New test to determine need for anti-venom treatment

The Northern Community Health & Research Foundation is funding an exciting project to determine if a relatively simple mobile test, performed virtually at the bed side using an instrument not dissimilar to machines used to measure blood sugar levels, can determine whether there is a need for antivenom treatment.

Australia is home to some of the world’s most venomous snakes. While approximately five species pose significant medical risks, effective management of their bites hinges on prompt resuscitation, pressure immobilisation bandaging, and rapid transfer to a healthcare facility equipped for laboratory analysis, appropriate antivenom, and timely clinical intervention. 

Critically, antivenom administration within six hours of a bite is crucial to minimise complications.

This project, entitled Evaluation of the Analytical Performance of the Point-of-Care qLabs FIB Analyser Against the Gold-Standard Clauss Assay for Early Detection of Venom Induced Coagulopathy, will evaluate a new test which could give doctors more certainty about who needs treatment, reducing the number of people who may be exposed to anti-venom therapy with potentially serious and even life-threatening side effects. It will also enable earlier administration of antivenom, leading to improved health outcomes.

The Point-of-Care qLabs FIB Analyser

A key diagnostic indicator of significant venom toxicity is assessed by measuring fibrinogen concentration in the blood.

A critically low fibrinogen level in the blood suggests significant venom exposure and a resulting dangerous disruption of blood clotting, with potentially fatal bleeding.

The selection of the correct antivenom is often guided by local snake distribution, the specific type of coagulopathy observed, and clinical signs such as bleeding, weakness, or paralysis.

For instance, brown snake venom can trigger bleeding disorders and severe complications like cardiac arrest or kidney failure requiring dialysis. Tiger snake bites can cause bleeding, paralysis, and muscle damage.

In contrast, mulga and red-bellied black snake venom can lead to muscle and kidney damage, alongside a different type of clotting disorder where fibrinogen levels may remain normal. Death adder venom is characterised by weakness, paralysis, and collapse, typically without bleeding complications.

Then again, many people experience ‘dry’ snake bite without risk of serious and life-threatening reactions.

Antivenom works by binding to and neutralising venom toxins in the bloodstream, facilitating their removal from the body. This binding is highly specific to the type of snake venom, making accurate identification of the required antivenom essential for effective treatment.

Antivenom administration is a serious intervention that can also have serious side effects. Providing earlier certainty through a simple non-invasive test can deliver significant benefits to patients and their practitioners by faster confirmation of the need for treatment.

This project is one of many medical and health research projects supported by grants through the Foundation. Read more about our grant programs here and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest grant program updates.