TY - JOUR
T1 - Dermatopathological findings of Bothrops atrox snakebites: A case series in the Brazilian Amazon
AU - Albuquerque Barbosa, Fabiane Bianca
AU - Raad, Rima de Souza
AU - Santos Ibiapina, Hiochelson Najibe
AU - Freire Dos Reis, Monique
AU - Neves, Juliana Costa Ferreira
AU - Andrade, Rosilene Viana
AU - Nascimento, Thaís Pinto
AU - Valle, Fabio Francesconi
AU - Casewell, Nick
AU - Sachett, Jacqueline
AU - Sartim, Marco Aurélio
AU - Monteiro, Wuelton
AU - Costa, Allyson Guimarães
AU - Ferreira, Luiz Carlos Lima
PY - 2024/12/26
Y1 - 2024/12/26
N2 - BackgroundBothrops venom consists primarily of metalloproteinase and phospholipase A2 toxins, which are responsible for the acute inflammatory, coagulant and hemorrhagic action following snakebite. The local effects of snakebite envenomation by Bothrops species are particularly prevalent yet poorly studied, but include pain, edema, erythema, blistering, bleeding, and ecchymosis.Methods and findingsIn this study, we describe the dermatopathological findings observed in a series of 22 patients diagnosed with Bothrops envenomation treated in a tertiary hospital of Manaus, in the Brazilian Amazon. Clinically, pain and edema were observed in all patients, followed by fang marks (63.6%), secondary infection (36.3%), ecchymosis (31.8%), erythema (22.7%), blister (13.6%), and necrosis (4.5%). Regarding histopathological findings, epidermal alterations such as spongiosis, acanthosis and hyperkeratosis were the most observed characteristics in our cases series, with isolated cases of hyperplasia, hemorrhagic intraepidermal blister and severe necrosis. Changes in dermis and hypodermis consisted mainly of hemorrhage, inflammatory infiltrate, edema, congestion, and vascular damage, whereas cases of collagen damage, necrosis, abscess, and signs of tissue repair, indicated by the presence of granulation tissue, were also observed, with a persistence of inflammatory and hemostatic alterations even days after antivenom administration. Therefore, the tissue damage resulting from Bothrops envenomation could be related to both direct venom activity as well as inflammatory response or presence of infectious process. The histopathological analysis of human skin injury can enlighten the pathological and endogenous effects of local envenomation and could underpin new strategies, including novel treatments, adjuvants or changes in clinical management, that lead to better outcomes in snakebite patients.
AB - BackgroundBothrops venom consists primarily of metalloproteinase and phospholipase A2 toxins, which are responsible for the acute inflammatory, coagulant and hemorrhagic action following snakebite. The local effects of snakebite envenomation by Bothrops species are particularly prevalent yet poorly studied, but include pain, edema, erythema, blistering, bleeding, and ecchymosis.Methods and findingsIn this study, we describe the dermatopathological findings observed in a series of 22 patients diagnosed with Bothrops envenomation treated in a tertiary hospital of Manaus, in the Brazilian Amazon. Clinically, pain and edema were observed in all patients, followed by fang marks (63.6%), secondary infection (36.3%), ecchymosis (31.8%), erythema (22.7%), blister (13.6%), and necrosis (4.5%). Regarding histopathological findings, epidermal alterations such as spongiosis, acanthosis and hyperkeratosis were the most observed characteristics in our cases series, with isolated cases of hyperplasia, hemorrhagic intraepidermal blister and severe necrosis. Changes in dermis and hypodermis consisted mainly of hemorrhage, inflammatory infiltrate, edema, congestion, and vascular damage, whereas cases of collagen damage, necrosis, abscess, and signs of tissue repair, indicated by the presence of granulation tissue, were also observed, with a persistence of inflammatory and hemostatic alterations even days after antivenom administration. Therefore, the tissue damage resulting from Bothrops envenomation could be related to both direct venom activity as well as inflammatory response or presence of infectious process. The histopathological analysis of human skin injury can enlighten the pathological and endogenous effects of local envenomation and could underpin new strategies, including novel treatments, adjuvants or changes in clinical management, that lead to better outcomes in snakebite patients.
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012704
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012704
M3 - Article
SN - 1935-2727
VL - 18
SP - e0012704
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
IS - 12
M1 - e0012704
ER -