“Venomous” Bites from “Non-Venomous” Snakes, Second Edition thoroughly examines the potential hazards associated with bites by non-front-fanged snakes (popularly, but inaccurately, called “rear-fanged snakes”). This diverse group contains approximately 80% of living snake species (approximately 2,900 species). A large proportion of these snakes were previously assigned to the family Colubridae but, as a consequence of expanding systematics investigations, have been split into multiple families and subfamilies. Many of these snakes produce venoms or oral secretions that contain toxins and other biologically active substances. A large variety of non–front-fanged snakes figure in the pet industry, yet little documented information or formal study of their potential medical importance has been published. Therefore, although the possible medical importance of many of these species has been subjected to speculation since the mid-19th century, there is a limited amount of useful descriptive information regarding the real hazard (or lack thereof) of this wide variety of snakes.

The first edition of this book provided “one-stop shopping” by offering information regarding their possible toxicity and clinical relevance as well as recommendations for medical management of their bites. The second edition expands and updates the content with detailed information about the effects and medical management of bites by a broad representation of non–front-fanged species. The hypothetical venomous nature of some lizards considered as non-venomous such as the Komodo monitor or dragon and their allies, as well as the medical effects of their bites, is also examined. The dynamic taxonomy of advanced snakes is updated, and the bases for some of these fluid changes are discussed. Likewise, terminology is also updated in order to reflect the ongoing debates regarding the definition of “venom” and the balanced reinforcement of nonmedical criteria used to define the biological basis of the term “venomous.”

Table of contents :

Front Cover

“Venomous” Bites from “Non-Venomous” Snakes

“Venomous” Bites from “Non-Venomous” Snakes

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

About the authors

SCOTT A. WEINSTEIN, BA, MSC, PHD, MBBS, MD, DIP, ABFM, FAAFP

DAVID A. WARRELL, MA, DM, DSC, FRCP, FRCPE, HONFZS, FMEDSCI

DANIEL E. KEYLER, BS, BS PHARMACY, PHARMD, FAACT

Foreword

Preface to the second edition

Acknowledgments for the second edition

Introduction

1 – A summary of taxing taxonomic considerations: non-front-fanged snakes and the shifting sands of systematics

1.1 The shifting sands of taxonomic reassignments and their relevance to the envenomed patient

1.2 Brief glimpses of a vast landscape: the basics of taxonomic reassignments and discordance of morphological and molecular sy …

1.3 Outlined inventory of a recent higher phylogeny14 of Caenophidian snakes15

1.3.1 Classification

1.4 General phylogenetic inventory of Caenophidian snakes: comments and consideration of known medical significance17

2 – Differences between buccal gland secretion and associated venom delivery systems of front-fanged snakes and non …

2.1 Basic considerations regarding gland structure and function

2.2 Overview of hypotheses for the evolution of venom-delivery systems and other adaptive gland functions

2.3 Theories considering the evolution of canaliculated fangs and enlarged grooved teeth

2.4 Low-pressure ‘Duvernoy’s glands’ and high-pressure venom glands: a question of semantics?

3 – A brief overview of the history of non-front-fanged snake venom research

3.1 Background and beginnings

3.2 The modern era: advances and attributions

3.3 A brief overview of major classes of non-front-fanged colubroid venom components (see Tables 3.2–3.4)2

3.3.1 Three-finger-fold toxins (3-FFTXs)

3.3.2 Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRiSPs)

3.3.3 Snake venom metalloproteases (SVMPs), matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), and snake venom serine proteases (SVSPs)

3.3.4 Phospholipases A2 and B (PLA2 and PLB)

3.3.5 ‘Other’ components

3.3.6 A comment on the hypothesized assignment of snake venom toxins to clinical effects of envenoming: causality and strength of …

3.3.7 Illumination of biological function: prey-specificity and research trends

3.3.8 Immunology of non-front-fanged snake venoms

3.3.9 Commercial antivenoms against medically important elapids and viperids: possible use for envenoming by non-front-fanged sna …

3.3.10 Future research

4 – Medically significant bites by non-front-fanged snakes (NFFCs)

4.1 Typical features of documented cases and evidence-based risk

4.1.1 Published and communicated or managed cases of medically significant non-front-fanged colubroid bites: summaries and streng …

4.1.2 Epidemiology of bites from non-front-fanged snakes

4.1.2.1 South America

4.1.2.2 India

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