ABSTRACT
Mexico is a country with a wide and heterogeneous territory, containing 15 physiographic regions that generate a great biological diversity. Snakes stand out in this regard, with 440 described species, of which 20% are considered of medical importance. Venomous snakebites in Mexico are a health problem, and about 3800 bites are reported annually, around 30 of which are fatal. The under-recording of these snakebites is likely high, considering that many of the accidents that occur in rural communities are not recorded. For years, the study of Mexican snake venoms was forgotten, but in recent years, significant work has been done regarding the characterization of venoms of different species. In these studies, a considerable number of species of pitvipers have been reported to contain neurotoxic components in their venoms. This information helps to predict the physiopathology of envenomations and to improve available clinical treatments and antivenoms. In this chapter, we report our experience in the treatment of snakebites in the northeast of México, using as an example clinical cases caused by Crotalus atrox and Micrurus tener. In these reports, we show the main clinical manifestations as well as the determination of dosage of Mexican antivenoms for efficacy.
