Regional doctors in the Albemarle and the Richmond area have reported a startling increase in the number of snakebites treated this season.
Ruddy Rose, director of Poison Control at the University Medical Center said the center, which fielded 21 snakebite-related calls in 1999 and 26 in 2000, has already received 37 calls in April, May and June.
The number of incidents could potentially climb even higher because "the snake season usually lasts until November," said Chris Holstege, medical director at the University Hospital's Blue Ridge Poison Control Center, who estimated that he had received "twice as many" snakebite complaints this year as in past years.
Fourth-year college student Tim Starr had one such encounter in May. "We were hiking in the woods when my friend noticed a snake right under my feet," Starr said. "It was pretty enormous."
The primary cause for the increased number of snakes is the weather, Holstege said. "During the warm season, the snakes came out in cycles."
While most area snakes are harmless, there is an abundance of copperheads and timber rattlers in the region, he said.
Their bites can be extremely painful and, without proper treatment, can also be fatal.
They mostly are found in wooded areas, such as trails, swamps and rocky areas. These pit vipers, so named because of the small pits under their nostrils, can be distinguished from their non-venomous counterparts by several characteristics, outdoor enthusiast Glen Isaacs said. "The non-venomous snakes in Virginia have round heads and eyes; the venomous ones have flatter heads and slanted eyes."
Holstege said some misconceptions about what to do when bitten add to the severity of the incidents. "We get a lot of John Waynes in here" who attempt to cut or suck the venom out themselves, he said.
Holstege also discouraged the use of certain snake bite kits containing items such as tourniquets and scalpels for self-treatment.
If bitten, a person should "apply copious amounts of soap and water, minimize movement, keep the affected area level with the heart and try to get to a medical facility as soon as possible," Rose said.
"The main thing is to be careful of myths and use common sense," he said.
Read More
Administrators and faculty paint conflicting pictures of May 4 encampment clearing
By Cecilia Mould | 15 hours agoThe details contested between the town halls included the clarity of the University’s tent policy and the presence of suspicious individuals at the encampment.
Faculty Senate calls for an external review of May 4 clearing of encampment
By Priya Kommu | 15 hours agoSenators had questions about the lack of direct communication between University administrators and the students and faculty present at the encampment.
University's last minute update to EHS tent regulations document creates confusion, frustration
By Arshiya Pant | 16 hours agoRyan said that he did not believe there was confusion among protesters about the permissibility of tents due to warnings from University officials on several occasions to remove tents.
