Symptoms and Emergency Treatment After a Bite by the Many-banded Krait, the Fourth Most Venomous Land Snake

Recently, a 21-year-old girl was bitten and left in critical condition after buying a many-banded krait online to keep as a pet. The many-banded krait is commonly known as the Guojixia, Baijiehei, Jinqianbaihuashe, Yinjiadai, Yinbaotie, and other names. Its venom is extremely potent, making it the fourth most venomous land snake. Sowhat symptoms appear after a many-banded krait bite? How should emergency treatment be given after a bite?

At around 2 p.m. on July 9, Xiaofang, a 21-year-old girl from Weinan City, Shaanxi Province, was bitten by a many-banded krait she had bought online, and was then taken to the hospital. As of noon on the 11th, after all-out rescue efforts her heartbeat had returned, but she was unable to breathe on her own. The doctor said that family members saw from the online purchase chat records that the seller had clearly informed her that the many-banded krait was highly venomous and asked what it was for; Xiaofang replied “to make medicinal wine.” Relatives, however, revealed that Xiaofang had bought the many-banded krait online to keep as a pet. It is understood that when the family reported the case, the many-banded krait was already nowhere to be found; later, a sanitation worker found a dead snake beside a garbage bin near Xiaofang's home. No other cases of residents being bitten by a many-banded krait have been reported so far. The matter is under investigation.

A person in charge at the Weinan City Wildlife Protection Station introduced that the many-banded krait is a nationally protected wild animal, and it can only be traded with approval from the relevant government departments and a business license. Private trading, including online transactions, is illegal, and mailing it is even more prohibited. Moreover, the many-banded krait is highly venomous, and residents must absolutely not keep it as a pet. “If residents find that someone around them is keeping highly venomous animals such as the many-banded krait, they can report it to the local wildlife protection department, and professionals will handle it.

Living Habits of the Many-banded Krait

The many-banded krait rests by day and comes out at night, appearing more often on especially hot and stuffy nights, but it has also been seen basking in the sun during the day in early summer when the temperature is 15—20°C and the weather is clear. The many-banded krait has a relatively gentle temperament and generally rarely bites people on its own, but it will also suddenly attack and bite when laying eggs, hatching, or when startled. 

The many-banded krait preys on loaches, eels, and frogs, and also eats various fish, rodents, lizards, and other snakes.

What symptoms appear after a many-banded krait bite?

Early many-banded krait bites are characterized by the “three noes” symptoms of no redness, no swelling, and no pain (only a mild numb sensation). From 1 to 4 hours after the bite, systemic poisoning symptoms appear: drooping eyelids, drooling from the corners of the mouth, a stiff tongue and inability to speak, lockjaw, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.

The many-banded krait has two kinds of neurotoxins. When bitten, the patient does not feel pain, but instead feels sleepy. In mild poisoning, local paralysis occurs in the body. If the toxin acts on the neuromuscular junction, it blocks the nerve conduction pathway, preventing striated muscle from contracting normally, leading to respiratory paralysis. The time of action is about 40 minutes to 2 hours, or as long as 24 hours. Before the application of antivenom serum, the mortality rate from many-banded krait bites was extremely high. It can be treated with neurotoxic antivenom serum, but it is still very dangerous.

What should be done after a snake bite? Emergency treatment methods after a snake bite!

There are many kinds of snakes, but not many venomous snakes often injure people and livestock; there are only a dozen or so kinds nationwide.

For example: the pit viper, cobra, banded krait, many-banded krait, Trimeresurus stejnegeri (bamboo pit viper), five-paced pit viper, sea snake, king cobra, lance-headed pit viper, white-lipped bamboo pit viper, and others. Although there are few kinds, they cause great harm to people. Many people shudder at the mere mention of snakes! Venomous snakes like dark, damp places. Streamsides, fish pond edges, weed piles, bamboo groves, and rice fields are all places where they hide, and these places are also places people often go.

It is very necessary to prevent snake bites. The specific methods are as follows;

1. When bitten by a snake, it is difficult to distinguish whether it is venomous or not, so anyone bitten by a snake should be treated as if bitten by a venomous snake.

2. After a snake bite, do not panic; stay calm to prevent the venom from spreading faster.

3. Immediately use a band (or a strip of cloth torn from clothing) to tie above the wound (2-3 cun from the wound) to stop the blood flow from carrying the venom to the heart.

If a finger is bitten, tie the band at the base of the finger;

If the palm or wrist is bitten, tie the band above the elbow;

If the calf is bitten, tie the band on the thigh.

After about half an hour, loosen it for 1-2 minutes and then tie it again.

4. Avoid strenuous activity;

5. After tying it, if snake medicine is available, take it immediately, then rinse the wound with clean water or salt water, squeezing the venom out of the wound while rinsing. If you have a small knife or blade, you can make several shallow cuts in the skin around the wound (the snakebite marks), or use a sewing needle to open the wound, so that the venom can flow out.

If the venom cannot flow out on its own, squeeze it with your hands, but it is not recommended to suck it with your mouth, to avoid the venom entering the body from the mouth. First rinse the wound with clean water, and then squeeze the wound to discharge the venom;

6. After treating the wound, send the patient to the hospital for treatment immediately.

Please pay special attention: if you are unfortunately bitten by a many-banded krait or are suspected to have been bitten, seek treatment from a specialist physician for snake bites in time to save your life.