Crotalidae Envenomation

Excerpt

Crotalidae, colloquially known as pit vipers, are venomous snakes found throughout the continental United States and Canada. Crotalidae envenomation represents an uncommon but clinically important illness that can result in significant morbidity and rarely mortality. Pitviper venom contains a variety of substances that cause cytotoxicity, myotoxicity, hemotoxicity, and less commonly neurotoxicity. These envenomations can result in a spectrum of disease severity, the extent of which is not always apparent at the initial evaluation. Careful evaluation and monitoring are needed to prevent serious sequelae.