Diagnosis and treatment of snake poisoning in Latin America and the Caribbean
As part of the regular meetings of the Central American Initiative on Snakes, a webinar was held on October 28, 2025, on the Zoom platform to present the document Diagnosis and Treatment of Snake Envenomation in Latin America and the Caribbean, recently prepared by the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health Center (PANAFTOSA/SPV) of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization and launched in August 2025.
The event was attended by the professionals who led the preparation of the document with the support of a number of regional collaborators. The initial presentation of some key aspects and contextual information about the document, describing its structure by chapters and content, was given by Dr. José María Gutiérrez, Professor Emeritus at the University of Costa Rica, and Dr. Fan Hui Wen, Butantan Institute, Brazil. In addition, Dr. María Elisa Peichoto, PAHO International Consultant in the area of venomous animal accidents for the Americas region, presented the online course entitled Snake and Other Venomous Animal Envenomations in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on the document and including envenomation by other venomous animals.
Both resources, the Manual and the Online Course, respond to a need to implement global and regional actions aimed at reducing deaths, disabilities, and suffering caused by snake bites, particularly among the poorest and most vulnerable populations. It is hoped that these resources will become a valuable regional reference for prevention-based care, clinical aspects, and basic management of snake accidents, as well as for strengthening national snake accident programs in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The event was moderated by Jackeline Alger, Antonio Vidal Institute of Infectious Diseases and Parasitology, and Eduardo Boza, Central American Initiative on Snakes. A total of 19 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama attended. The question and answer session was lively, addressing topics of local, regional, and global interest. The Central American Initiative on Snakes made a commitment to continue contributing to the dissemination of these resources and promoting their use.
MANUAL: Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Diagnóstico y tratamiento del envenenamiento por serpientes en América Latina y el Caribe. Washington, D.C.: OPS; 2025. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.37774/9789275330289
CURSO/COURSE: Envenenamientos por serpientes y otros animales venenosos en América Latina y el Caribe. Disponible en: https://campus.paho.org/es/curso/envenenamientos-serpientes-animales
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