Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana

Leslie Mawuli Aglanu; John Humphrey Amuasi; Ibrahim Kwaku Duah; Melvin Katey Agbogbatey; Jonathan Steinhorst; Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane; Zakari Bukari; Tia Joseph Azabu; Benno Kreuels; David Griffith Lalloo; Ymkje Stienstra

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820

Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana

Leslie Mawuli Aglanu
, John Humphrey Amuasi
, Ibrahim Kwaku Duah
, Melvin Katey Agbogbatey
, Jonathan Steinhorst
, Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane
, Zakari Bukari
, Tia Joseph Azabu
, Benno Kreuels
, David Griffith Lalloo
, Ymkje Stienstra

University of Groningen
Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR)
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
University of Hamburg
North East Region
Wa Municipal Hospital
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is among the top five emergency health conditions in northern Ghana. Among the four genera of snake species classified to be of highest medical importance, species with haemotoxic venom are responsible for about 90% of all snakebite case presentations in the region. However, there is a dearth of clinical data on signs and symptoms of envenoming, treatment practices and health outcomes. We examined the signs and symptoms of envenoming and clinical management practices at referral hospitals in northern Ghana.

METHODS: Medical records of patients reporting on account of snakebite between 2016 and 2020 at the Wa Municipal Hospital in the Upper West region and the Baptist Medical Centre in the North East region of Ghana were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, patients' clinical data and management practices were analysed and evaluated taking into consideration the national standard treatment guideline.

RESULTS: A total of 2,684 records of patients reporting on account of snakebite were accessed at both health facilities over the five-year period. 91% of the patients were admitted to the ward. Swelling, severe pain and bleeding were the most common clinical signs upon presentation. A total of 1,670 (64.7%) of all the patients tested had at least one abnormal blood clotting result suggesting haemotoxicity. Antivenom was administered to 84.3% of the patients. Antibiotics were administered to 70.5% with amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, flucloxacillin and metronidazole accounting for 59.2% of all antibiotics administered. The recorded case-fatality rate was 1.9%.

CONCLUSION: The annual hospital attendance rate on account of snakebite to the Wa Municipal Hospital and the Baptist Medical Centre is estimated at 55 persons per 100,000 population per year. Mortality was low, with antivenom available to most of the patients. More evidence is needed on the indication and dosing of antivenom and to improve appropriate ancillary care.

Original language	English
Article number	e0013820
Pages (from-to)	e0013820
Journal	PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Volume	19
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820
Publication status	Published - 12 Dec 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Access to Document

10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820Licence: CC BY

journal.pntd.0013820Final published version, 1 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Aglanu, L. M., Amuasi, J. H., Duah, I. K., Agbogbatey, M. K., Steinhorst, J., Adobasom-Anane, A. G., Bukari, Z., Azabu, T. J., Kreuels, B., Lalloo, D. G., & Stienstra, Y. (2025). Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 19(12), e0013820. Article e0013820. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820

@article{5878ab8b9b8b49b2992f7d05356ffb6a,

title = "Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is among the top five emergency health conditions in northern Ghana. Among the four genera of snake species classified to be of highest medical importance, species with haemotoxic venom are responsible for about 90\% of all snakebite case presentations in the region. However, there is a dearth of clinical data on signs and symptoms of envenoming, treatment practices and health outcomes. We examined the signs and symptoms of envenoming and clinical management practices at referral hospitals in northern Ghana. METHODS: Medical records of patients reporting on account of snakebite between 2016 and 2020 at the Wa Municipal Hospital in the Upper West region and the Baptist Medical Centre in the North East region of Ghana were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, patients' clinical data and management practices were analysed and evaluated taking into consideration the national standard treatment guideline. RESULTS: A total of 2,684 records of patients reporting on account of snakebite were accessed at both health facilities over the five-year period. 91\% of the patients were admitted to the ward. Swelling, severe pain and bleeding were the most common clinical signs upon presentation. A total of 1,670 (64.7\%) of all the patients tested had at least one abnormal blood clotting result suggesting haemotoxicity. Antivenom was administered to 84.3\% of the patients. Antibiotics were administered to 70.5\% with amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, flucloxacillin and metronidazole accounting for 59.2\% of all antibiotics administered. The recorded case-fatality rate was 1.9\%. CONCLUSION: The annual hospital attendance rate on account of snakebite to the Wa Municipal Hospital and the Baptist Medical Centre is estimated at 55 persons per 100,000 population per year. Mortality was low, with antivenom available to most of the patients. More evidence is needed on the indication and dosing of antivenom and to improve appropriate ancillary care.",

author = "Aglanu, \{Leslie Mawuli\} and Amuasi, \{John Humphrey\} and Duah, \{Ibrahim Kwaku\} and Agbogbatey, \{Melvin Katey\} and Jonathan Steinhorst and Adobasom-Anane, \{Austin Gideon\} and Zakari Bukari and Azabu, \{Tia Joseph\} and Benno Kreuels and Lalloo, \{David Griffith\} and Ymkje Stienstra",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Aglanu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820",

language = "English",

volume = "19",

pages = "e0013820",

journal = "PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases",

issn = "1935-2727",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana

AU - Aglanu, Leslie Mawuli

AU - Amuasi, John Humphrey

AU - Duah, Ibrahim Kwaku

AU - Agbogbatey, Melvin Katey

AU - Steinhorst, Jonathan

AU - Adobasom-Anane, Austin Gideon

AU - Bukari, Zakari

AU - Azabu, Tia Joseph

AU - Kreuels, Benno

AU - Lalloo, David Griffith

AU - Stienstra, Ymkje

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2025 Aglanu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

PY - 2025/12/12

Y1 - 2025/12/12

N2 - BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is among the top five emergency health conditions in northern Ghana. Among the four genera of snake species classified to be of highest medical importance, species with haemotoxic venom are responsible for about 90% of all snakebite case presentations in the region. However, there is a dearth of clinical data on signs and symptoms of envenoming, treatment practices and health outcomes. We examined the signs and symptoms of envenoming and clinical management practices at referral hospitals in northern Ghana. METHODS: Medical records of patients reporting on account of snakebite between 2016 and 2020 at the Wa Municipal Hospital in the Upper West region and the Baptist Medical Centre in the North East region of Ghana were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, patients' clinical data and management practices were analysed and evaluated taking into consideration the national standard treatment guideline. RESULTS: A total of 2,684 records of patients reporting on account of snakebite were accessed at both health facilities over the five-year period. 91% of the patients were admitted to the ward. Swelling, severe pain and bleeding were the most common clinical signs upon presentation. A total of 1,670 (64.7%) of all the patients tested had at least one abnormal blood clotting result suggesting haemotoxicity. Antivenom was administered to 84.3% of the patients. Antibiotics were administered to 70.5% with amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, flucloxacillin and metronidazole accounting for 59.2% of all antibiotics administered. The recorded case-fatality rate was 1.9%. CONCLUSION: The annual hospital attendance rate on account of snakebite to the Wa Municipal Hospital and the Baptist Medical Centre is estimated at 55 persons per 100,000 population per year. Mortality was low, with antivenom available to most of the patients. More evidence is needed on the indication and dosing of antivenom and to improve appropriate ancillary care.

AB - BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming is among the top five emergency health conditions in northern Ghana. Among the four genera of snake species classified to be of highest medical importance, species with haemotoxic venom are responsible for about 90% of all snakebite case presentations in the region. However, there is a dearth of clinical data on signs and symptoms of envenoming, treatment practices and health outcomes. We examined the signs and symptoms of envenoming and clinical management practices at referral hospitals in northern Ghana. METHODS: Medical records of patients reporting on account of snakebite between 2016 and 2020 at the Wa Municipal Hospital in the Upper West region and the Baptist Medical Centre in the North East region of Ghana were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, patients' clinical data and management practices were analysed and evaluated taking into consideration the national standard treatment guideline. RESULTS: A total of 2,684 records of patients reporting on account of snakebite were accessed at both health facilities over the five-year period. 91% of the patients were admitted to the ward. Swelling, severe pain and bleeding were the most common clinical signs upon presentation. A total of 1,670 (64.7%) of all the patients tested had at least one abnormal blood clotting result suggesting haemotoxicity. Antivenom was administered to 84.3% of the patients. Antibiotics were administered to 70.5% with amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, flucloxacillin and metronidazole accounting for 59.2% of all antibiotics administered. The recorded case-fatality rate was 1.9%. CONCLUSION: The annual hospital attendance rate on account of snakebite to the Wa Municipal Hospital and the Baptist Medical Centre is estimated at 55 persons per 100,000 population per year. Mortality was low, with antivenom available to most of the patients. More evidence is needed on the indication and dosing of antivenom and to improve appropriate ancillary care.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820

DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013820

M3 - Article

C2 - 41385603

AN - SCOPUS:105025443518

SN - 1935-2727

VL - 19

SP - e0013820

JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

IS - 12

M1 - e0013820

ER -

Clinical presentation and management of snakebite envenoming in northern Ghana

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this