A survey on snakebite consultation made to remote envenomation consultation services (RECS) Malaysia from 2012 to 2014 / Nurshakela Mohd Zain

RECS consultations from 2012 until June 2014 is showing increasing trend (Table 1 ). Majority of the consultation involves cases related to snakes. Data for the second half of 2014 is still being extracted from consultation log and not included into this report. The number of snakebite consultation is higher in the second half of the year. The percentages of the unrecorded data on time of incident are decreasing from 95% to 40.4%. The majority of incident in 2012 and 2013 occurred during daytime between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm. For the first half of 2014, the majority of incident occurred between 12.00 pm and 12.00 am. All the data on age and sex of patient were not recorded in year 2012. In year 2013 and first half of 2014, the majority of patients were male. Most of the incident occurred in the 18 to 39 years old group (young adult). No infant below 1 year old was recorded for snake related cases. The trend on the unrecorded data on age is decreasing from 100% in 2012 to 36.2% in first half of 2014. The percentages of unrecorded data on sex are also decreasing from 100% to 29.1 %. Naja sumatrana species have highest number in identified cases in year 2012, 2013 and 2014. In year 2012, percentages of identified and unidentified species for diagnosis are equal. While in 2014, percentages of unidentified are slightly higher than identified diagnosis. Geolocation of the snakebite incident has highest number at Kuan tan Pahang in year 2013 and 2014. While in 2014, Kulim, Jempol and Kuala Terengganu have highest numbers of snake related cases. In overall for three years consulted cases, Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur are the states that having highest snake related cases being consulted. Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM) is the common treating hospital for snake related cases in year 2012 and 2013. In year 2014, lpoh Hospital has highest number of snake related cases being treated.