THE STAR (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) 17 October 10 Database on venomous snakes to cure bites (Manjit Kaur)

George Town: The fangs and palates of poisonous snakes will be moulded and the information uploaded into a computer database in a project undertaken by the Perlis Snake Farm.

The project is aimed at helping doctors treat patients bitten by snakes as they would be able to identify the type of snakes involved and use the appropriate antidote.

The farm’s manager Tengku Norriah Tengku Mahamud said the current practice was to bring along the snake so that doctors could give the patient the right antidote.

“Through this database, doctors will be able to identify the venom without needing the snake and this will enable them to treat patients immediately.

“We are undertaking this project, which started in May, together with Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Kubang Kerian branch in Kelantan, and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam,” she said in an interview.

The farm is situated in Sungai Batu Pahat, about 12km from Kangar.

Tengku Norriah hoped the project would be successful as there were times when it was not possible to catch and bring the snake that had bitten a patient to the hospital.

“We have so far moulded samples of three species taken from the farm.

“I am sure that the database, when it is set up, will be a great help in the medical field and could save many lives.”

Referring to a case on March 21, where a Year Six pupil allegedly died of a snake bite when he went jungle trekking during a three-day camp in Hulu Langat, Tengku Norriah said the death could have been prevented if the database had already been set up.

Wan Muhammad Amir Dahalan, 11, was admitted to the Kajang Hospital and transferred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital several hours later when his condition worsened.

The doctor had told the family that the boy suffered internal bleeding due to snake venom.

Puncture marks were also spotted near his waist by family members. Tengku Norriah added that the three most poisonous snake species in Malaysia were cobras, vipers and kraits.
Database on venomous snakes to cure bites

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