Bite epidemic in the south: three injured in two weeks
Within two weeks, a 6-year-old girl in a kindergarten yard, an Eilat resident at a horse farm, and a soldier in the field were bitten in the Eilat and Arava region; the soldier was evacuated by helicopter to receive a specific antivenom. "The hot season in the region brings with it a sharp increase in reptile activity."
Three people, including a 6-year-old girl and a soldier, have been bitten in the last two weeks by venomous snakes in the Eilat and Arava region and were treated in the emergency department at Yoseftal Hospital. The sequence of cases occurred at the peak of the snakebite season in the south.
In one case, a 6-year-old girl from one of the Arava kibbutzim was bitten while playing in the kindergarten yard. The snake emerged from under a rock and bit her on the ankle. The girl was rushed by ambulance to Yoseftal accompanied by her grandmother and was examined in the pediatric emergency room, which operates in cooperation with experts from the Schneider Children's Medical Center and the medical teams of Yoseftal.
"The girl arrived to us in pain, with a developing swelling on her ankle and signs of a bite," says Dr. Gili Planitzky Sofer, a specialist in emergency medicine from the Schneider Center at the Yoseftal emergency room. "In children, the effect of the venom can develop rapidly, so we acted immediately to stabilize the vitals and perform a comprehensive clinical assessment."
The girl's treatment was managed with close telephone guidance from toxicologist Professor Miguel Glatstein, who instructed the team regarding the necessary tests. After her condition stabilized, she was transferred, upon his recommendation, for further observation and treatment at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.
In another case, a 48-year-old Eilat resident arrived at the hospital last Friday after being bitten on his finger at the horse farm he owns. The snake was hiding inside a pile of feed and bit him when he touched it. The patient was examined and treated by Dr. Salam Agbaria from the emergency department staff, and under the guidance of Professor Glatstein, he received the appropriate antivenom at Yoseftal. After observation and monitoring, during which his condition improved, he was discharged home.
The most complex case occurred about two weeks earlier, when a soldier was bitten on his finger by a desert snake while in the field. Dr. Omar Abu Salem from the emergency department staff sent documentation of the snake to Professor Glatstein, who identified it as a saw-scaled viper, a venomous and dangerous snake whose bite treatment requires a specific INOSERP antivenom. After the soldier's condition was stabilized at Yoseftal, he was evacuated by helicopter directly to Soroka Hospital, where he received the appropriate antivenom. The hospital noted that the rapid treatment saved his life.
"The hot season in the Eilat and Arava region brings with it a sharp increase in reptile activity, and the recent cases illustrate the variety and complexity, from toddlers in kindergarten, through agricultural work, to operational activity in the field," says Dr. Daher Agbaria, director of the emergency department at Yoseftal. According to him, the cooperation between Yoseftal, Schneider, and Soroka hospitals, alongside the guidance of toxicology experts, allows for rapid treatment even in cases where a unique antivenom is required that is not available on-site.
In the event of a snakebite, one must calm the victim, keep them at rest, and avoid unnecessary movement as much as possible. The injured limb should be immobilized at body level or slightly below, and MADA should be called immediately. It is forbidden to cut the bite area, suck out the venom, cool the place with ice, or apply a tourniquet. If it can be done from a safe distance, it is recommended to photograph the snake to assist in its identification and treatment adjustment, but one should not attempt to capture it.
