1. Bothriechis lateralis The Side-striped Palm-pitViper By Jang Garcia and Tyler Ong Biology of Toxins April 30, 2008

2. Picture yourself on spring break…  You’re on your free-day hike through the mountains of Costa Rica, and you happen upon an exciting frog specimen.

3.  You try to catch the frog, but as you try to grab the amphibian from some low shrubbery you feel a quick sharp pain on your outstretched hand.  Right after recoiling from the bite sensation, you notice two small puncture marks on your hand.  Not caring about the frog anymore you investigate further as to what bit you only to find a slender green snake with paravertebral stripes.

4. Bothriechis lateralis The Side-striped Palm-pitViper

5. Bothriechis lateralis The Side-striped Palm Viper  The viper, Bothriechis lateralis, is one of many palm viper species found in the cloud forests of Costa Rica. These vipers are venomous and are considered to be a danger to humans.  It is one of only nine known species of palm vipers.

6. Taxonomy  Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Subphylum: Vertebrata  Class: Reptilia  Order: Squamata  Suborder: Serpentes  Family: Viperidae  Subfamily: Crotalinae  Genus: Bothriechis  Species: B. lateralis

7. Bothriechis lateralis  Common names: side-striped palm-pitviper, side-striped palm viper, green palm viper, yellow lined palm viper  Geographic range: Mountains and foothills of Costa Rica and western Panama.  Habitat: This species is found from the cloud forests of the mountains through lower mountain rainforests, as well as coffee plantations in nearby regions.

8. Bothriechis lateralis  Lifestyle: Palm vipers are arboreal and often found on palm fronds. They remain coiled and still to avoid detection by both prey and predators. When prey comes near or if they are threatened they strike quickly.  Diet: Birds, rodents, and frogs are B. lateralis’ main prey items.  Size: Usually less than 80cm.

9. Bothriechis lateralis  The palm viper injects its venom through retractable hollow fangs.  The venom is a cocktail of toxins that serve many different functions in killing prey, and deterring predators.

10. Viper Venom  Not much is known about all the components of the venom, but it is known that the palm viper’s venom contains mainly hemotoxic compounds.  Hemotoxins are toxins that destroy red blood cells, interfere with blood clotting, and can cause tissue degeneration (usually localized).

11. Viper Venom = Hemotoxins  Hemotoxins causes death much slower than neurotoxins in most cases. Usually prey items stop fleeing or fighting due to shock cased by the venom.  Death caused by hemotoxins is usually due to severe and sudden drops in blood pressure or strokes. Either of which are caused by proteins that induce systemic coagulation or uncontrolled bleeding.

12. Viper Venom = Hemotoxins  Symptoms in humans include severe pain and swelling in the bite area. Nausea, disorientation, and headache may be delayed for several hours.  Hemotoxins are used in diagnostic studies of the coagulation system. Lupus anticoagulants is detected by changes in a laboratory assay based on venom of the Russell's viper.

13. Viper Bites  Envenomation from a Bothriechis lateralis is serious but not usually fatal for humans.  Following a envenomation, most individuals exhibit symptoms characterized by severe pain, swelling, tissue damage, low blood pressure, and or hemorrhaging. Nausea, disorientation, and headache can also occur.  Worst case scenario: loss of a limb, stroke, and even death.

14. 4 hours after envenomation

15. 9 hours after envenomation

16. Landmasses Population (x10 6 ) Total number of bites No. of envenomatio ns No. of fatalities Europe73025,0008,00030 USA and Canada 27045,0006,50015 Central and South America 400300,000150,0005,000 Africa7601,000,000500,00020,000 Asia3,5004,000,0002,000,000100,000 Oceania20*10,0003,000200 Total5,8405,400,0002,682,500125,345 Global Evaluation of Snakebites in 1998

17. Global Distribution of Terrestrial Snakebite Morbidity

18. Treatment  Should a viper bite occur, prompt professional medical care is the best response.  Determining whether a bite poses a serious threat to the victim depends on many variables some of which include the size age and condition of both the viper and the victim, the amount of venom injected, the time from envenomation to treatment and the types of treatment available.

19. World class hospital/housing projects in Puntarenas, Costa Rica

20. Treatment  If professional medical attention is not immediately available:  GET VICTIM TO NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM ASAP!  Keep the victim calm and as still as possible.  Do not wash wound. This can wash away surface venom traces that can be used to identify the venom and expedite treatment.  Apply a constricting bandage tight enough to slow circulation but not enough to stop pulse.  Do not incise the wound or attempt to suck the venom from the wound.  Do not give the victim anything to drink or any pharmaceuticals unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.

21. Emergency room inside the hospital

22. This is the best room in the place. Note: the fan in here has two blades.

23. Antivenin  The best way to treat an envenomation is to administer the proper antivenin to the victim as soon as possible.  Antivenin is generated through envenomation of usually sheep or horse to generate an immune response. The antibodies generated area then purified from the animals serum and then administered to a patient who has been envenomated.

25. Bothriechis Lateralis Synonyms: Side-striped Palm Pit Viper Synonyms: Side-striped Palm Pit Viper Classification: Snake (animal group), Viperidae (family), BOTHRIECHIS (genus) Indicated antivenom: 1.Antivenom Polyvalent Antivenom, Instituto Clodomiro, Costa Rica Type of antibody paraspecific Number of holding centers 3  Countries of holding centers: GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, UNITED KINGDOM

26. Antivenin  Antivenin binds and neutralizes venom toxins through agglutination reactions as well as stimulating an immune response specific to the toxins.  Individuals that have been given antivenin can experience an immediate anaphylactic reaction or a delayed hypersensitivity (serum sickness), but these risks do not out weigh the affects of untreated venom in ones system.

27. Jang on his way to recovery Note: Jang has a view from an un- boarded window.

28. Prevention  Always be aware of your surroundings and where you are stepping and putting your hands.  Inform yourself as to which plants animals pose a threat to humans in your area and when and where said animals are found. In Captivity  Proper handling and training by a professional can help prevent a bite.  When professionals handle palm vipers, they usually use specialized equipment designed to minimize risk when handling snakes such as snake sticks and tongs.

29. References  "Appendix: Antivenom Tables" (2003). Clinical Toxicology 41 (3): 317-27. doi:10.1081/CLT-120021117  Bazaa, A. et al (2005) Snake venomics: Comparative analysis of the venom proteomes of the Tunisian snakes Cerastes cerastes, Cerastes vipera and Macrovipera lebetina. Proteomics 5, 4223–4235  www.fougera.com  Green Palm Viper (Bothriechis lateralis) at Cloud Forest Alive. Accessed 27 November 2006  McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).  Niewiarowski S, Kirby EP, Brudzynski TM, Stocker K. (1979) Thrombocytin, a serine protease from Bothrops atrox venom. 2. Interaction with platelets and plasma-clotting factors. Biochemistry. 18(16):3570-7.  http://www.who.int/bloodproducts/publications/en/bulletin_1998_76(5)_515-524.pdf  Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.  Sullivan JB, Wingert WA, Norris Jr RL. North American Venomous Reptile Bites. Wilderness Medicine: Management of Wilderness and Environmental Emergencies, 1995; 3: 680-709.  www.toxinfo.org/antivenoms/ indication/BOTHRIECHIS_LATERALIS.html  Wikipedia.org