IISc

New Delhi: Around 58,000 die of snakebite every year in the country. A majority of snakebites that lead to death or disability are attributed to the ‘big four’ of Indian snakes – Russell’s viper, which is one of the deadliest snake species in the world; spectacled cobra; common krait; and saw-scaled viper. Commercial antivenom treatment for snakebite does not always prove effective. However, only a few efforts have been made to understand the reason for this. In a new study geared in this direction, researchers at Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc)’s Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) and collaborators have…