Common Envenomations: Snakes, Lizards, Marine Life and Arthropods

Course overview

The purpose of this course is to teach healthcare professionals to recognize and expertly and efficiently manage a variety of envenomations. This course reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of various envenomations, including snakebites, scorpion stings, spider bites, hymenoptera stings, venomous lizard bites, and a variety of marine envenomations, including jellyfish stings. Common myths will be dispelled, and learners will be provided with evidence-based treatment guidelines. Many people use venomous and poisonous interchangeably, but there are significant differences. Venoms are endogenously produced by the animal and actively introduced into the victim through a wound created by a fang, stinger, pincer, or spike. The clinical scenarios in which these occur are referred to as envenomations or envenomings. This course will focus exclusively on the most clinically relevant terrestrial and marine venomous animals native to the U.S., including vertebrates (e.g., snakes, lizards, and fishes) and invertebrates (e.g., cnidarians and arthropods). Common myths will be dispelled, and learners will be provided with evidence-based treatment guidelines.