The cure for snake bites

A Kenyan puff adder at the Liverpool School of Tropical Disease’s herpetology department CREDIT: Simon Townsley

More than 2.7m people are bitten by venomous snake bites every year – causing injuries that lead to tissue destruction, disability, limb amputation, kidney failure, and death. Venomous snake bites can lead to tissue destruction, permanent disability, limb amputation, kidney failure, and death. Currently, only a fraction of the estimated 2.7 million people bitten worldwide have access to antivenom therapy. Yet, for many, access to antivenom therapy can be tricky – especially in rural areas. However, scientists have made an exciting discovery: a cure may have been under their noses all along.