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Skin lesions caused by venomous snakes, mollusks, leeches, actiniae
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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Poisonous snakes
Of the poisonous snakes, the most dangerous are the bites of cobras, spectacled snakes, vipers, and some sea snakes. Their bites (usually on the arms and legs) are accompanied by local pain, increasing swelling of the affected limb, sometimes spreading to the body. At the site of the bite, two reddish pinpoint wounds are revealed; soon petechiae or hemorrhages appear around them, which can also be detected on the mucous membranes.
Cyanosis and severe swelling of the limb appear, and the general toxic reaction increases. In some cases, a collapse state develops. When bitten by tropical snakes, up to 15% of those bitten die from heart failure, paralysis of the respiratory center on the 3rd-4th day after the bite.
Treatment: rapid removal (suction) of venom from wounds (effective within half an hour); immobilization of the limb; injection of anti-snake serum into the interscapular region (20-100 ml); adrenaline, caffeine, cordiamine, ephedrine; novocaine blockade around the bite site; systemic corticosteroids in medium doses.
Mollusks
Some sea mollusks have a poisonous apparatus and cause painful burns, erosion, local ischemia, cyanosis, numbness in swimmers, which can quickly spread to large areas of the body. Contact with some types of mollusks can be fatal. Occupational allergic dermatitis from contact with squid and mussels has been described.
Hirudinosis
It is caused by leeches that attach themselves to human skin in stagnant waters, while in the jungle, or while walking barefoot on wet grass and swamps. Bites from medicinal leeches are not very painful, as the secretion of their salivary glands contains anesthetic substances. Bites from tropical leeches cause burning and sharp pain. After their bites, bleeding wounds appear, which heal slowly due to the addition of a secondary infection, up to abscesses and phlegmons (with concomitant debilitating diseases). In the presence of sensitization, urticarial, bullous, necrotic rashes occur; anaphylactic reactions are possible.
Spongefisher disease (coral ulcers)
Contact dermatitis caused by floating larvae of the sea anemone Edwardsiella lineata. Mild erythema, small reddish papules (papulovesicles), and less commonly, blisters and pustules appear on areas of the body covered by a swimsuit or swimming trunks. The rash lasts for 1-2 weeks. With repeated contact with sea anemones, skin manifestations become more severe (up to ulcerative-necrotic lesions).
Treatment: local or systemic corticosteroids.
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