VENOMOUS SNAKES of IRAQ and KUWAIT - med.navy.mil · IRAQ and KUWAIT Tom Harkins Entomological...
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VENOMOUS SNAKES VENOMOUS SNAKES of of IRAQ and KUWAIT IRAQ and KUWAIT Tom Harkins Tom Harkins Entomological Sciences Program Entomological Sciences Program USACHPPM USACHPPM APG, MD 21010 APG, MD 21010
Transcript of VENOMOUS SNAKES of IRAQ and KUWAIT - med.navy.mil · IRAQ and KUWAIT Tom Harkins Entomological...
VENOMOUS SNAKESVENOMOUS SNAKESof of
IRAQ and KUWAITIRAQ and KUWAIT
Tom HarkinsTom HarkinsEntomological Sciences ProgramEntomological Sciences ProgramUSACHPPMUSACHPPMAPG, MD 21010APG, MD 21010
SOLDIERSOLDIER--SNAKE ENCOUNTERSSNAKE ENCOUNTERS
TIMING OF INITIAL PHASE
NIGHTFIGHTING FORCE
SLEEPING “UNDER THE STARS”
GROUND OPERATIONS
GARRISON DUTIES
DESERT HORNED VIPER DESERT HORNED VIPER CerastesCerastes cerastescerastes gasperettigasperetti
LEVENTINE VIPER LEVENTINE VIPER MacroviperaMacrovipera lebetinalebetina obtusaobtusaMacroviperaMacrovipera lebetinalebetina euphraticaeuphratica
SAWSAW--SCALED VIPER SCALED VIPER EchisEchis carinatuscarinatus sochurekisochureki
P. persicus fieldiP. persicus persicus
FIELDSFIELDS’’S SAND VIPER S SAND VIPER PseudocerastesPseudocerastes persicuspersicus fieldifieldi
PERSIAN SAND VIPERPERSIAN SAND VIPERPseudocerastesPseudocerastes persicuspersicus persicuspersicus
DESERT BLACK SNAKE DESERT BLACK SNAKE WalterinnesiaWalterinnesia aegyptiaaegyptia
KURDISTAN VIPER KURDISTAN VIPER ViperaVipera raddeiraddei kurdistanicakurdistanica
INCIDENCE OF SNAKEBITESINCIDENCE OF SNAKEBITESIRAQ/KUWAIT REGIONIRAQ/KUWAIT REGION
• Peak Incidence June and July• Lower Limb Most Common Bite Site• Inflicted Mostly at Night• Macrovipera lebetina spp.. Majority of Serious Cases
INCIDENCE OF SNAKEBITESOPERATION DESERT STORMOPERATION DESERT STORMOPERATION IRAQI FREEDOMOPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
• Peak Incidence April Through October• Hands Most Common Bite Site• Most Likely Daytime Casualties• Cerastes cerastes gasperetti Majority of Bites
…biggest risk comes from soldiers turning to serpents for entertainment…the cause of 85 percent of snakebites during Desert Storm
TROUBLE TROUBLE SPOTSSPOTS
““BUILD ITBUILD IT…………AND THEY WILL COME.AND THEY WILL COME.””
•• SURVEILLANCE/THREAT ASSESSMENTSURVEILLANCE/THREAT ASSESSMENT
•• CONTROLCONTROL
•• CARE OF BITE VICTIMSCARE OF BITE VICTIMS
•• ANTIVENIN POLICYANTIVENIN POLICY
•• TROOP DISCIPLINE AND MORALETROOP DISCIPLINE AND MORALE
PLANNING AND SUPPORTPLANNING AND SUPPORT
