Summary

It is observed from a previous study that the severity of envenomation caused by the Saw scaled viper in Northern Sri Lanka is mild when compare with India and West Africa. Therefore, there may be a possibility that the Saw scaled viper in this region may be a genetically different species when compare with Saw scaled viper in India. However the patients admitted with Saw scaled viper bite in Sri Lanka are treated with the same Indian polyvalent antivenom in the hospital. But it was clearly observed by the clinicians that the patients are responding poorly to the Indian antivenom. This will not only increase the cost of the treatment but also lead to lot of reactions in the patients which will further increase the cost. Considering the above problems, the present study is designed to explore the detail clinical profile of the patients as well as the Genetic profile of the Saw Scaled viper in Northern Sri Lanka. Finding of this study will be useful to identify any species variation in Sri Lankan Saw scaled viper and also to evaluate the efficiency of the current antivenom treatment among Sri Lankan Saw Scaled viper bite victims. This will help to the health authorities to draw the appropriate guideline for the treatment of snake bite patients in Sri Lanka more effectively and economically.

Objectives

1. To describe the clinic-epidemiological profile of Saw-scaled viper bite patients admitted to Jaffna
Teaching Hospital.
2. To investigate the coagulation profile of the Sri Lankan Saw-scaled viper bite patients.
3. To assess the level of nephrotoxic effects of Sri Lankan Saw-Scaled viper bite victims using
precise bio makers.
4. To study the taxonomy of Saw scaled viper prevalent in Jaffna peninsula using molecular
phylogeny.
5. To analyse the electrophoretic Patterns of Sri Lankan Saw scaled viper by SDS-PAGE analysis

Major Equipment Facilitated by Grant