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Black Mamba, is an elapid snake and is one of Africa's most dangerous and feared snakes. Black mambas are among the most venomous snakes in Africa, with a LD50 of 0.25 mg/kg. A bite from a black mamba delivers about 100–120 mg of venom on average; however it can deliver up to 400 mg. About 10-15 mg of its venom is enough to kill an adult. The initial symptom of the bite is local pain in the bite area, although not as severe as in a bite from snakes with cytotoxins.
The victim soon experiences a tingling sensation in the mouth and extremities, dizziness, erratic heartbeat, ptosis, diplopia (double vision), dysphagia, tunnel vision, ophthalmoparesis, severe confusion, dysarthria, fever, diaphoresis (excessive perspiration), excessive salivation (including foaming of the mouth and nose), and pronounced ataxia (lack of muscle control). If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms rapidly progress to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, lymphadenopathy, severe dyspnea (shortness of breath), epistaxis, pallor, shock, nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, coma, and then death. Without antivenom, the mortality rate nears 100%, the highest among venomous snakes.
Depending on the nature of the bite, death can result at any time between 15 minutes and 3 hours. On average, however, death usually occurs 30 to 60 minutes after envenomation. Factors associated with the nature of the bite include penetration of one or both fangs, amount of venom injected, location of the bite, and proximity to major blood vessels. The health of the snake and the interval since it last used its venom mechanism may also be factors. The health, size, age, and psychological state of the individual bitten is also a determining factor.
The victim soon experiences a tingling sensation in the mouth and extremities, dizziness, erratic heartbeat, ptosis, diplopia (double vision), dysphagia, tunnel vision, ophthalmoparesis, severe confusion, dysarthria, fever, diaphoresis (excessive perspiration), excessive salivation (including foaming of the mouth and nose), and pronounced ataxia (lack of muscle control). If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms rapidly progress to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, lymphadenopathy, severe dyspnea (shortness of breath), epistaxis, pallor, shock, nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, coma, and then death. Without antivenom, the mortality rate nears 100%, the highest among venomous snakes.
Depending on the nature of the bite, death can result at any time between 15 minutes and 3 hours. On average, however, death usually occurs 30 to 60 minutes after envenomation. Factors associated with the nature of the bite include penetration of one or both fangs, amount of venom injected, location of the bite, and proximity to major blood vessels. The health of the snake and the interval since it last used its venom mechanism may also be factors. The health, size, age, and psychological state of the individual bitten is also a determining factor.
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