injuries poisoning
Alligator, Crocodile, Iguana, and Venomous Lizard Bites
Venomous lizards
Venomous lizards include the following: Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum), present in the southwestern US and Mexico Beaded lizard (H. horridum) of Mexico The complex venom of these lizards contains serotonin,arginineesterase,hyaluronidase, phospholipase A2, and ≥ 1 salivary kallikreins but lacks neurotoxic components or coagulopathic enzymes. Bites are rarely fatal. Varanids (eg, Komodo dragon [Varanus komodoensis], crocodile monitor lizard [Varanus salvadorii]) are also venomous and pose little risk to humans. When venomous lizards bite, they clamp on firmly and chew the venom into the person. Symptoms and signs of venomous lizard bites include intense pain, swelling, ecchymosis, lymphangitis, and lymphadenopathy. Systemic manifestations, including weakness, sweating, thirst, headache, and tinnitus, may develop in moderate or severe cases. Cardiovascular collapse occurs rarely. The clinical course is similar to that of a minimal to moderate envenomation by a larger species of rattlesnake (see Symptoms and Signs ). Treatment in the field involves removing the lizard’s jaws by using pliers, applying a flame to the lizard’s chin, or immersing the animal entirely underwater. In a hospital, treatment is supportive and similar to that for Treatment ; no antivenom is available. The wound should be probed with a small needle for broken or shed teeth and then cleaned. If the wound is deep, an x-ray can be done to rule out a retained foreign body or bone fracture. Prophylactic antibiotics are usually not recommended. 