KR Hospital discontinues snake serum – via Herp Digest

TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 09 May 12  Mysore:  In the wake of half-a-dozen snakebite victims developing serum sickness after being administered Anti Snake Venom (ASV), the Krishna Rajendra hospital authorities have called for an examination of the snakebite serum procured from a private distributor. 

Alert medical officers stopped administering a particular batch of anti snake venom after some patients complained of alleged reaction on Sunday and Monday. Doctors say as serum is obtained from animal blood and is given to people to protect them from poison, there will be slight reaction, but they don't want to take any chance. 

A source claimed that patients requiring ASV were reportedly asked to procure it from the market or referred to private hospital. However, the hospital authorities denied the allegation.

"There was no problem following the development as we had arranged for ASV soon after the drug of particular batch was withheld," Mysore Medical College and Research Institute dean and KRH medical superintendent Dr Geetha Avadhani told TOI.

She said that they have requested the drug controller to examine nearly 2,800 vials of ASVs which have been kept back and after the analysis, a decision on whether to use them will be taken.

"The hospital has stocked the snakebite serum to avoid any inconvenience to patients. At present, we have 500 ASVs to treat the patients. Each patient will require nearly 20-30 vials of ASVs, including 10 on the first day of treatment," Geetha said.

Each vial of ASV costs Rs 900 in the market, but at KRH, it is being given at Rs 80.

Meanwhile, a doctor claimed that not all snakebite victims require administering of ASVs and it depends on the type of snakes - venomous or non-venomous, which has bitten them. Previous year, they received some 492 cases, but only 250 required ASV.

On an average, KR hospital, popularly known as 'Doddaspatre' (Big hospital), receives two dozen cases every month from Mysore and surrounding districts. Patients given ASVs will be kept under observation round-the-clock as a precaution. The doctor claimed that no casualty was reported in the hospital previous year. 

District surveillance officer D N Nagaraj said previous year, they had treated some 299 cases in PHCs, community health centres and general hospitals, which are under their control, in the district. 

According to Nagaraj, six persons in Mysore had died of snakebite in 2011. The medical officer claimed that there is no dearth of ASVs in their centres.