Profile of snakebite cases admitted to the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital in northern Vietnam from 2008 to 2020

Background: Vietnam harbours a high species richness of venomous snakes with >60 recognised species but snakebite pathology and treatment are still understudied, particularly in northern Vietnam.

Methods: A retrospective study from 2008 to 2020 was conducted, focusing on snakebite cases at the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, a major centre in northern Vietnam for treating envenoming incidents.

Results: A total of 5805 snakebite cases were reported over 12 y. The demography of patients was predominantly male snakebite victims (70%), middle-aged (30-59 y) and mostly from rural districts. Cobra (Naja spp.) attacks were the main culprit, accounting for 39% of cases, and most snakebites occurred in the rainy season. The majority of patients were from Hanoi, but the percentage of cases from other provinces increased over the years up to 75% in 2020. The highest number of snakebites were recorded from communes with snake farms.

Conclusions: Male gender, rainy season, rural residency and snake farming were identified as major risk factors for contracting snakebites. Multicentre hospital studies, cross-sectional community surveys and a central snakebite database are needed to better understand and deal with snakebites in Vietnam.