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LAST UPDATE | 29 Feb 2020
A 22-YEAR-OLD man has been rushed to Connolly Hospital in Dublin after being bitten by a highly venomous puff adder snake.
The National Reptile Zoo was asked to supply antivenom to combat the tissue-destroying poison, however there currently isn’t a supply for the specific species of viper in Ireland and there’s a shortage worldwide.
The zoo has sourced ten vials of the medication from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine but, depending on the severity of the bite, it could require up to 30 vials to combat the venom.
If required the rest of the antivenom will likely have come from Düsseldorf or Paris.
The man will have to be airlifted to Liverpool to receive the treatment or else the antivenom will have to be airlifted to Dublin.
James Hennessy, the Director of the National Reptile Zoo, said it is a “very, very serious” situation for the man.
“The thing about snake bites is, it could be what’s known as a ‘dry bite’, where you get away with losing only the tip of your finger, or it could have given him a full-on envenomation. And if the guy’s immune system isn’t 100% you know it can be enough to kill you,” he explained to TheJournal.ie.
Puff adders are an African species of snake with a haemotoxic bite, meaning they destroy body tissue. They are responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa.
The zoo director added:
It tends to disintegrate and dissolve anything it comes into contact with. He’s almost guaranteed to lose at least a digit, depending on where he’s bitten, if not possibly a lung and it may cause internal organ damage and failure.
The Kilkenny based zoo is the 24-hour contact for antivenom in Ireland. It is not government-funded and provides it privately to individuals who have been bitten, however it only has antivenom for species it keeps.
The medicine is kept in centres around the world but there’s a worldwide shortage at the moment.
Hennessy believes it’s the first recorded potentially fatal bite in the history of the state, despite people keeping a wide range of venomous animals for decades.
The Herpetological Society of Ireland later released a statement saying that the incident was likely a “tragic accident” and the man had been keeping the snake as a pet.
“Snakes are amazing animals and many can make wonderful, rewarding pets. They are not out to get you,” it said.
The society said that venomous snakes have no place outside of their natural habitat or a professional setting and they are “especially unsuitable” for being kept in a regular household.
“We send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to the young man involved,” it concluded.
Am I missing a bit of this story. Where and how was he bitten by this snake in Dublin?
@Thomas Quinn: Presumably he or someone known to him kept it as a pet. If it was on the loose, that would have been mentioned.
@Thomas Quinn: I honestly think it’s intentionally omitted to make the story “seem” to apply to us all, whereas if they mention specifically that it was the man’s pet, everyone just moves on to the next story. Oh and while we are wondering where the snake is we can also worry about the worldwide shortage of antivenom. eye roll! sigh! yawn! anyway, i do hope this man recovers
@Thomas Quinn: yeah I saw the story elsewhere a few mins ago. It was privately owned.
@Thomas Quinn: that would be useful. Is this puff adder on the loose or what?
@Miriam: pffft. Friday night and the journal staff are tasked with coming up with stories while everyone else is in the pub and you’re b***hing about the content.
@Thomas Quinn: yeah that was a strange omission. I was waiting to read it the whole way down.
@Shazam37: fair point!
@Thomas Quinn: I heard on the news this evening that the man was bitten on his tongue. Yep.. on his tongue.
@Thomas Quinn: “… the man had been keeping the snake as a pet.”
Important things to include in a news article :
The place the incident occurred
The date
The time of day
How the incident occurred
What injuries were sustained
Where on the person the injuries were inflicted
If there is a dangerous animal involved, ensure the public are informed of it’s whereabouts and if there is any reason to be concerned.
@Seibh Ní Chonraoí: Would you have left a comment if all the facts were given? The Journal knows what it’s doing…well sort of.
@Andrew Nolan: you’re giving them way too much credit.
@Seibh Ní Chonraoí:
should see how other media outlets report
The Irish Sun -Snakebite – Man fights for life after having his dick bitten by venomous snake
Daily Mail – Foreign immigrant killer snake bites Irish Man – fears for his life
RTE – Mary Lou Mc Donalds constituency has murderous killer snakes on the loose
Irish Independent – FFG funded hospital rescues dying snake victim. No comment available from Sinn Fein.
Sunday World – Latest Gangland fear strikes community as killer pets let loose
Irish Times – The index of Irish shares has been rocked and declined 1000% by latest snake incident and prospect of Sinn Fein in Government.
@Dave Hammond: A fair summary. Hope he recovers, well, as much as possible. Poor man.
Where’s St Patrick?
@liam whelan: currently on holidays returning on the 17th of March
@liam whelan: YOU STOLE MY COMMENT!
@liam whelan: the original snake oil salesman,I’ll see myself out
@liam whelan: avoiding the coronis infected crowds
@rice water: maybe not
@liam whelan: St. Patrick seems to have been banished by the neo-pagans. Better phone Joe Duffy.
Any idea how he came into contact with the snake? Is there a deadly snake loose in Ireland? Hope he gets all the help he needs, sounds awful.
@lambda sensor: no need for hysterics, the answer is indicated in the article…” it’s the first recorded potentially-fatal bite in the history of the state, despite people keeping a wide range of venomous animals for decades”
@Matt Connolly: you think asking pertinent questions is hysterics?!!! knowing the type of information I asked avoids hysteria.
@lambda sensor: it was his pet. It was put straight back into its container after the bite. Unfortunately there is no law or license needed for venomous animals in this country.
@Stephen: why doesn’t the article say that? Kinda important information in a story about someone getting bitten by a snake, in a country that doesnt have snakes, is where did the damn snake come from… no?
@john doe: the article is wrong, it didn’t happen in Dublin. Its very, very easy to buy these animlas as there is no legislation. Things need to change and probably will after this.
@lambda sensor: too cold for a tropical snake to survive in Ireland outdoors, seems it was kept by the individual
@Matt Connolly: TD’s???
Our national news service mentions that the snake was “privately owned”.
Pity several news sources have to be checked to get the fuller facts.
@The Blue Dot Observer: yeah except this is more of a blog than a news site
@J: This.
“Want to play with my pet Puff Adder?” – Said no sane person ever.
@Mark Deegan: Exactly. Never mind with the who, where, how’s, we appear to have a select group of people, if you want to call them that, in this country somehow acquiring extremely deadly animals and keeping them as pets.
I don’t for one minute think it’s a case of “oh how did that yoke get into me suitcase office while I was visiting Africa garda?”, they had to be smuggled into the country. Are the government and the Gardaí happy with this situation, are they content to turn a blind eye and say “ah sure he’ll be grand”. Ah sure we’ll wait until someone dies, maybe it’ll be a child…
The reptile zoo in Kilkenny really is a brilliant place to visit!
@Maria:
Here here.
Fantastic place, throughly enjoyed a trip there.
Hope the poor guy survives. As an aside the standard of journalism in this article is shocking . No background as to where this occurred , who owned the snake and where is the snake now. Dangerous reptiles like this should only be held by Zoo’s or medical and research type facilities. They should not b the play thing of some clown.
So we now have more shake bite victims that Corona virus patients.
Over to you Minister Harris!
@Stephen O’Mullane: …snake bite…
@Stephen O’Mullane: Stephen, like really, do you think Simon has the ability to speak on behalf of the hse, doctors, nurses and fn everything. I pity the chap as he is the escape goat for many idiots. Think about it a different way he never applied for the role as health minister. Waterford whispers has nothing on you.
@Paul Somers: so he’s remained, doing a terrible job, very handsomely paid in spite of his lack of qualification or competence, against his will?
@Stephen O’Mullane: shnake bite…
@Paul Somers: escape goat….seriously
@John Considine: exactly John. Thanks for the dig-out
@Phil O Stine: escaped from the nanny state probably.
@FecklessBear: What Health Minister, bar Dr James Reilly, was qualified to make a success of that portfolio? Reilly also failed.
I don’t blame Minister Harris for the current health problems but the overpaid, overstaffed administrators and managers at the HSE.
Too many ‘systemic failures’ rather than I individuals being held to account.
@John Considine: escape goat?
Darwinism?
Here’s hoping the snake doesn’t contract the Coronavirus
You need a licence for a dog …. but can keep venomous snakes here without one …… you could not make this sh*t up !
@Mary Mc Carthy: far more likely to be bitten by a dog I’d assume
@Mary Mc Carthy: I’d be extremely surprised if keeping venomous snakes in Ireland without notifying *someone* is legal; I’d hope not.
@Mary Mc Carthy: If u get a snake license you could bring him for a walk but with a muzzle .great crack!lol
@old man trucker: Far more likely to be killed from the bite of a snake
Obviously the snake was smuggled into the country. If he survives will he be charged for having the snake
@stephen darling: I’m guessing this unlucky guy is somehow connected to a Organised Crime Gang …A lot of OC Gangs across EU are getting caught with exotic / dangerous pets such as Crocodiles ,Tigers etc .. I’m guessing some have a fetish for deadly venomous snakes..
These animals use to express power & fear at the same time ..
High chance this guy could die … if the Puff Adder injected him with a full venom dose .. he won’t have to worry about the Corona Virus .
Puff Adders found throughout sub Saharan Africa .. they are quite common in South Africa ..
They the number one killer of People and Livestock in South Africa ..their venom bite is strong enough to kill a full grown Cow ..
They more feared than Mambas or Cobras which are also deadly .. but tend to attack less often ..
@stephen darling: Pet Detective is here on the case!
Can someone please tell us the snake still on the loose
@trebloc01: guards picked him up on Serpentine Avenue
@Elma Phudd: Athens guards took it to the zoo.
It enjoyed that so much, they have decided to take it to the pictures tonight.
@Brian Farrell: the not Athens.
@trebloc01: read the article
I understand that the principal diet of that species of snakes is rats– Pity his (the snakes) services weren’t used in the Dail bar last July!
And the winner of the darwin award. Please see above
The Zoo should be illegal all over the world.
@Scott Ott: most zoos have effective breeding Programmes which will assist in the avoidance of extinction of rare species in some cases
Fota Wildlife park and the red panda an example
Circuses in the other hand
@Scott Ott: why?
It’s an omen indicating cultural revolution is complete. The old Ireland is dead. The snakes have returned.
There seems to be no proper regulations with regards to bringing in dangerous animals, how did he buy it in the first place ?.
Coronavirus, snake bite… are the lager & cider industries indulging in some subliminal advertising? Coronaviral marketing.
The snake is currently a TD in Leinster house
Once bitten, twice shy
Must have bumped into Leo
I often woke up Saturday dying from the Shnakebite.
A fry up and 2 panadol lad.
No sympathy if that idiot willingly kept that snake as a pet. Wasting everyone’s time now.
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