Firstly: Please note that this post and information contained herein, is posted with the permission of the child's mother.
Some of you may already know about this case.
Last night, I received a call from a friend informing me about a 5 year old girl that got bitten in her bed on Monday (19/12/2011) by what sounds like a Mozambique Spitting cobra (I did not see the snake myself).
This morning I visited the patient and spoke to her mother. The child got bitten on the left middle finger and on the elbow area. The left arm was elevated and she was connected to machines monitoring her vital data and oxygen was administered via oxygen mask. According to the mother, the child's skin colour turned yellow yesterday and this morning on the front page of the Beeld newspaper, it was visible. On my visit this morning, the yellow colour according to her mother seemed to have decreased. Two of her liver functions showed abnormal results indicating that the liver is being affected. From all the Mozambique Spitting cobra bites I have attended / seen, this is the first time that I have seen this happening. A short while ago, I also spoke to Bushviper about this case (which he also knows about).
Like I said to BV, that if he reads this post, he must please correct if I said something wrong and also I (personally) would like to know if anyone else dealing with snakebites have ever came across something like that. I know that snakes' venom may be more potent (toxic) in different areas and like he also said, everyday we learn something new about snakes' venom and their bites. Well, today was my turn!!
One good thing though at this stage is that since Monday up and until this morning that I left the hospital, no cuts, debridements or fasciotomies were performed which on that side is a good beginning I think.