From Fang to Forensic Report: Deciphering the Clinico-toxicological Profile and Medicolegal Audit of Snake Poisoning in the Eastern Indian Belt
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jfmt.2026.43.02.13Keywords:
Eastern India, Toxicology, Forensic pathologyAbstract
Snakebite envenomation represents a critical yet neglected public health challenge in the Eastern Indian Belt, contributing significantly to the global burden of snakebite mortality and morbidity. This comprehensive review examines the clinico-toxicological profile and medicolegal dimensions of snake poisoning in this region, which encompasses states with high agricultural activity and dense snake populations. Despite WHO recognition as a neglected tropical disease, snakebite continues to claim thousands of lives annually in India, with the Eastern region being particularly affected. This review synthesizes epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, venom toxinology, diagnostic approaches, treatment protocols, and medicolegal considerations specific to the Eastern Indian context. We analyze the spectrum of envenomation by the "Big Four" venomous snakes—Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Indian cobra (Naja naja), and Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus)—alongside emerging evidence of neglected species. The manuscript integrates forensic perspectives, including autopsy findings, legal frameworks under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), and challenges in medicolegal certification of snakebite deaths. By bridging clinical medicine, toxicology, and forensic science, this review aims to inform evidence-based management strategies, enhance medicolegal documentation, and ultimately reduce preventable mortality in this vulnerable region
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