Clinic
Case reports
Papua New Guinea
Blasco and Hornabrook 1972: 1 case; very doubtful identification; discussion of several cases with a similar course.
Warrell et al. 1996: 11 cases. Identification: immunological, morphological (1/11). Systemic envenoming 6/11, no clinical evidence of envenoming 5/11.
Signs & symptoms
Autopharmacological effects
Vomiting 1/6 an dizziness 2/6 within 1h of the bite (Warrell et al. 1996).
Vomiting (Blasco and Hornabrook 1972).
Local effects
Local swelling at the site of the bite 2/6, local pain 1/6, local lymphadenopathy 2/6 (Warrell et al. 1996).
Haemostatic effects
Incoagulable blood 2/6 with spontaneous bleeding in 1/2 (Warrell et al. 1996).
Neurological effects
4/6 (ptosis 4/6, bulbar 3/6, limbs 3/6) (Warrell et al. 1996).
Paralysis of the extremities and respiratory musculature resulting in death (Blasco and Hornabrook 1972).
Muscular effects
Generalized muscle pain / tenderness 3/6, trismus 1/6, dark urine (Warrell et al. 1996).
Cardiac effects
See Laboratory and physical investigations below.
Renal effects
Dark urine. (Warrell et al. 1996).
Morbidity
-
Case fatality rate
2/11 (19 and 38h after the bite; respiratory paralysis) (Warrell et al. 1996).
Treatment (specific)
Antivenoms
Polyvalent (Australia-New Guinea), CSL, Parkville, Australia may be beneficial (Warrell et al. 1996).
Anecdotally, CSL death adder antivenom has proved ineffective (Warrell et al. 1996).