Medical management of a child treated for two unique envenomation episodes via captive snakes in a 60-day period: A case report

Venomous snake bites can result in irreversible damage, leading to respiratory dysfunction, bleeding disorders, kidney damage, or serious complications. In recent years, with the popularity of online shopping in China, snakes can be easily purchased and kept as pets, even if some areas are not natural habitats for certain kinds of snakes. A 13-year-old boy purchased two venomous snakes online as pets. On April 16, 2019,the boy was bitten by a B. multicinctus(Bungarus multicinctus), and he had mild difficulty breathing and limb weakness. He was discharged after symptomatic treatment with B. multicinctus antivenom. On June 17, 2019, the boy was bitten a second time by a short-tailed pit viper (Gloydius brevicaudus) resulting in swelling and necrosis of the left hand. After a systemic and comprehensive treatment was implemented, including Agkistrodon halys antivenom injections, infection control, hormone therapy, improved circulation, negative pressure wound therapy, skin graft, and nutritional support, the boy recovered. This case provides valuable insights for diagnosing and treating venomous snake bites and their complications while also raising public awareness about the hazards of purchasing venomous snakes online,and it also provide case support for the improvement of online shopping for minors, wildlife protection, and live animal mailing management, helping to prevent such incidents from happening again. •We report a case of a child who was bitten by his pet poisonous snakes.•The patient was bitten first by Bungarus multicinctus and was treated successfully.•He was then bitten two months later by a Gloydius brevicaudus and treated successfully.•We discuss the dangers of purchasing unregulated venomous snakes online.