ABSTRACT
As gaps in the knowledge about snake venoms are reduced, it is becoming increasingly evident that the composition and mode of action of venoms are highly specific for the various species of snakes. Renal manifestations in victims of snakebite, of which renal failure is by far the most common, have attracted attention relatively recently. Several investigators have attempted to answer the question of whether or not renal failure in an envenomed patient is due to glomerular, tubular, interstitial, or vascular damage resulting from the toxic action of the venom on the kidney, or whether it results indirectly from the systemic effects induced by the vasculotoxic, hemotoxic, and myotoxic fractions of the venoms. The renal manifestations associated with snakebite include acute renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, acute glomerulonephritis, necrotizing vasculitis, renal infarction, and papillary necrosis. The exact cause of renal failure is difficult to determine because of the complexity of events following envenomation.
