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Australian Tiger Snakes www.toxinology.com

Genus Notechis

This is a brief overview of information on Australian tiger snakes, based on information on the main Clinical Toxinology Resources Website. For more detail and up-to-date information on tiger snakes, covered at species level, search for "snakebite" in the First Aid menu, or search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the Genus field. The information on this page will not be regularly updated, because regular updated information can be obtained from the main toxinology website, listed above.

Taxonomy of tiger snakes

Species listing for tiger snakes:

Eastern tiger snake, common tiger snake, Notechis scutatus

Western tiger snake, Notechis (ater) occidentalis

Flinders black tiger snake, Notechis ater ater

Reevsby black tiger snake, Notechis ater niger

King Island black tiger snake, Notechis ater humphreysi

Chappell Island black tiger snake, Notechis ater serventyi

For more detailed information on tiger snakes, including distribution maps and photos, use the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website at www.toxinology.com and search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the Genus field.

Distribution of tiger snakes

Tiger snakes are highly venomous and are found in southern and eastern, but not inland mainland Australia, and also on southern offshore islands, including Tasmania.

Venom of tiger snakes

As with other venomous snakes causing snakebite in humans, tiger snakes have complex venoms with many components. Only the most important clinically are mentioned here.

Overall tiger snake venom is one of the most potent of all known snake venoms, though slightly less potent than common brown snake venom.

Tiger snake venom contains potent presynaptic neurotoxins (toxins in venom that cause paralysis or muscle weakness). Also present are postsynaptic neurotoxins, which are less potent but more rapid acting than the presynaptic neurotoxins.

Tiger snake venom also contains potent procoagulants (toxins in venom that interfere with blood clotting, causing consumption of the clotting protein, fibrinogen; this causes defibrination, with non-clottable blood, putting victims at risk of major bleeding).

No renal (kidney) toxins have so far been isolated from tiger snake venoms, but renal failure (kidney failure) is a common effect of tiger snake snakebites in humans, in cases where there is significant envenoming (envenomation).

Tiger snake venom does contain myotoxins that cause myolysis (rhabdomyolysis, muscle damage).

Tiger snake venom causes generally minor local effects at the snakebite site, such as mild swelling, bruising and pain and does not contain necrotoxins, though local tissue necrosis does occasionally occur.

For more up-to-date information on tiger snakes use the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website at www.toxinology.com and search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the Genus field.

Clinical effects of tiger snake bites

Tiger snakes have highly potent venom and can cause severe envenoming (envenomation) of humans. They are a major cause of snakebites and occasional snakebite deaths in Australia at present. Envenoming (envenomation) can cause defibrination coagulopathy, renal (kidney) damage or renal failure (kidney failure). They can cause neurotoxic paralysis (muscle weakness, respiratory failure), and this is common, but clinical features of flaccid paralysis usually take several hours to become apparent. Bites can also cause myolysis (rhabdomyolysis, muscle damage) which can be very severe.

For more and up-to-date information on tiger snake bite use the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website at www.toxinology.com and search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the Genus field.

First aid treatment

First aid for tiger snake bite is the same as for other snakebites and is based on immobilising the venom at the bite site until medical treatment can be obtained. This snakebite first aid is commonly known as the pressure immobilisation bandage technique for snakebite and other forms of envenoming (envenomation).

For details of the method, use the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website at www.toxinology.com and search for "snakebite" in the First Aid menu, or search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the Genus field.

Medical treatment of tiger snake bite

About 60% of tiger snake bites result in significant envenoming, requiring antivenom therapy, and envenoming is often severe and potentially lethal. There is at least 1 death from tiger snake bite every year, on average. It is therefore essential all cases be managed as an emergency, requiring rapid application of first aid and urgent medical assessment. For those cases with systemic envenoming, which may develop in less than 15 minutes after the bite, antivenom therapy is the principle treatment. In most such cases 3-4+ vials of CSL Tiger Snake Antivenom will be required intravenously to reverse the severe coagulopathy (bleeding disorder) and prevent progression of paralysis and muscle damage.

For further overview information, use the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website at www.toxinology.com and search for specific information on tiger snakes in the Snakes - Search menu, using either "tiger snake" in the common name field or select "Notechis" in the genus field. Treatment information and available antivenoms will be listed near the bottom of the page. A general overview of snakebite treatment is also available.

For detailed information on medical treatment on the Clinical Toxinology Resources Website you need to access the subscriber-only area, but substantial information, including appropriate antivenoms and how to use them, (not as detailed as for subscribers) is also available in the online version of the CSL Antivenom Handbook, also available on this site.