Management of Venomous Animal Accidents: A Multidisciplinary Proposal

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to present themes that are not commonly linked and have a lot of information from basic works and applied research. It also aims to present the theme of toxins to students, professionals and researchers for a new look at the theme of ophidian accidents. Ophidian accidents are a worldwide neglected problem that affect mostly populations in rural areas. The venom of these animals is an important factor responsible for triggering several cellular events that notably change the balance of the oxidant/antioxidant system and generate increased levels of oxidative stress, which has a role that is still little-disclosed in accidents with venomous animals. Case studies show that snakebites, for example, can induce plasma changes in certain oxidative markers, suggesting that oxidative stress plays an important role in this poisoning process, and the definition of markers such as hemoglobin oxidation may be a parameter to be considered in the treatment of snakebites and the bites of other venomous animals. On the other hand, there are several endogenous factors released into the circulation (nucleotides, cytokinins, interleukins, lipids) that instigate a biological cascade that can amplify the action of the toxins, which can be neutralized by antivenom; however, other factors like PAF (platelet-activating factor) are not inhibited. PAF is a unique and evolutionarily ancient molecule, and is found in various animal organisms performing receptor-dependent actions far beyond platelet aggregation, and is being recognized as an important player in the progression of the inflammatory process, as an example. In this Special Issue we also want to present the importance of the current landscape of the clinical management of venomous animal bite accidents, including the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and other new drugs used in cardiovascular treatment. One of the problems faced in the management (besides the lack of an integration with the knowledge of venoms’ mode of action, the cascade of mediators released by the cells during the action of the toxins, and how certain plasma markers can be crucial in decision making) is that many medical teams have no way to recognize the type of venom, representing a major challenge for cure. In tropical and subtropical countries, the variety of species classically regarded as dangerous to humans is also giving way to species that were not normally classified as such. One poorly understood issue is how climate change may affect the distribution of venomous animal accidents and how this may affect accidents. Questions also remain regarding how new tools can help locate possible accident hotspots and how these tools can help in the decision making of this centuries-old, neglected, and suffering problem. We encourage experts in toxicology, pharmacology, and epidemiology; health professionals; and researchers in the field of biodiversity and ecology to contribute research papers and critical reviews on various aspects of this important issue, including venomous animals, venoms, toxins, the role of oxidative stress, the role of the PAF cascade and other molecules produced during the envenomation, the clinical and medical management of these accidents, and how these problems will be influenced by climate change.

Prof. Dr. Marcos Hikari Toyama
Guest Editor

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• venomous animals
• venoms
• toxins
• oxidative stress
• PAF
• clinical management
• auxiliary therapies
• tool for the study of hotspots