Death soon follows due to respiratory failure. The affected person can die within 30 minutes of envenomation. Ohanin, a protein component of the venom, causes hypolocomotion and hyperalgesia in mammals. Large quantities of antivenom may be needed to reverse the progression of symptoms.
The bite of the King Cobra with envenomation can be rapidly fatal (as early as 30 minutes).
“Most snakebites, even cobra bites, are not fatal.” Whitaker said. “But any snakebite must be treated as a medical emergency. “The single most important thing to do is to get to a hospital without any delay. Do not resort to any local or home remedy because there is only one cure for a snakebite and that is antivenom.”
Workers should take these steps if a snake bites them: Seek medical attention as soon as possible (dial 911 or call local Emergency Medical Services [EMS]). Antivenom is the treatment for serious snake envenomation. The sooner antivenom can be started, the sooner irreversible damage from venom can be stopped.
Abstract. King cobra bites are extremely rare in the western world. These bites can be fatal due to the large volume of the venom injected.
The cobra only attacks people when it is cornered, in self-defense or to protect its eggs. Throughout its entire range from India to Indonesia, the king cobra causes fewer than five human deaths a year, about one-fifth as many as caused by rattlers in North America.
King Cobra is a type of snake that rarely attacks human beings. As per official reports, only four people have died of King Cobra's bite in India so far. However, the zoo keeper's death is the first such case reported case in Kerala, Snakepedia team member Sandeep Das told mathrubhumi.com.
The killer of the most people
The saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) may be the deadliest of all snakes, since scientists believe it to be responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
King Cobras have large venom glands and produce huge amounts of venom. They often strike and bite 3, even 4 times in quick succession, each bite delivering 7 milliliters of venom (enough to kill an elephant).
The black mamba, for example, injects up to 12 times the lethal dose for humans in each bite and may bite as many as 12 times in a single attack. This mamba has the fastest-acting venom of any snake, but humans are much larger than its usual prey so it still takes 20 minutes for you to die.
Eye Irrigation
If venom is spit into the eyes, immediately and copiously irrigate them with any bland fluid, such as water, saline solution, or milk.
"While the mamba put up a fight, continually striking at the cobra, the cobra won the battle with its superior size and strength, eventually eating the mamba."
Q: What snake KILLS THE MOST PEOPLE every year? A: It is either the Asian Cobra group (Naja sp.) and/or Saw-scaled vipers (Echis sp.)
Many people who survive bites nevertheless suffer from permanent tissue damage caused by venom, leading to disability. Most snake envenomings and fatalities occur in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, with India reporting the most snakebite deaths of any country.
King Cobras Fear the Mongoose
The mongoose preys on the king cobra, and they do so very successfully. Mongooses are very tough customers for cobras because they have a high level of agility.
The spat toxungen is generally harmless on intact mammalian skin (although contact can result in delayed blistering of the area), but can cause permanent blindness if introduced to the eye; if left untreated it may cause chemosis and corneal swelling.
Do not allow the victim to eat or to drink water in order to keep metabolism at low rate. No water No food is the golden rule. DO NOT COVER THE BITE AREA AND PUNCTURE MARKS. The wound should be gently cleaned with antiseptic.
Minor pain and redness occur in over 90 percent of cases, although this varies depending on the site. Bites by vipers and some cobras may be extremely painful, with the local tissue sometimes becoming tender and severely swollen within five minutes. This area may also bleed and blister, and may lead to tissue necrosis.
A human can collapse within 45 minutes of a Black Mamba bite. Without treatment it can take 7 to 15 hours for a Black Mamba bite to kill you. The sooner a person is treated after the bite, the better his chances of survival. A Black Mamba antidote is administered where necessary, but some people may be allergic.