What happens when a person is bitten?
Coral snake venom is a complex mixture of proteins that includes postsynaptic neurotoxins. The neurotoxic effects of the coral snake venom are manifested by muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, unable to move eyelids (ptosis), blurred vision (diplopia), tongue fasciculations (twitching), decreased oxygen saturation, paralysis, and potential respiratory arrest. The cranial nerve signs are known as a bulbar paralysis. On occasions, patients with slurred speech have been presumed to be intoxicated. A patient may face weeks of ventilator support with risks of subsequent pneumonia, tracheotomy and multi-system failure. Long term rehabilitation may be needed for neuromuscular damage and atrophy resulting from the paralysis. Prophylactic use of antivenin has been effective in preventing these signs and symptoms. Case reports of patients receiving antivenin in a delayed fashion show that symptoms can progress to paralysis over a 12-18 hours period.
