Table 1

Epidemiology of patients presenting to an emergency department and those admitted as an inpatient after a snakebite, USA 2016

All patients presenting to emergency department after a snakebitePatients admitted as an inpatient after a snakebiteP value
n (% total animal encounters)11 1382423 (22)
Age category (years)
 0–172421 (22)384 (16)0.001
 18–444173 (37)910 (38)
 45–643211 (29)792 (33)
 65–74942 (8)235 (10)
 75–84330 (3)84 (3)
 >8560 (1)18 (1)
Male (%)7213 (65)1582 (65)0.8
Region
 Northeast115 (1)<10*<0.0001
 Midwest756 (7)143 (6)
 South9079 (82)1843 (76)
 West1188 (11)434 (18)
Rural county (%)3792 (34)702 (29)0.02
Weekend (%)3592 (32)789 (33)0.8
Season (%)
 Winter267 (2)50 (2)0.3
 Spring2463 (22)501 (21)
 Summer5558 (50)1169 (48)
 Fall2851 (26)704 (29)
Payor data (%)
 Medicare1637 (15)424 (18)0.04
 Medicaid2223 (20)421 (17)
 Private insurance4433 (40)962 (40)
 Self-pay2058 (18)420 (17)
 No charge27 (0)14 (1)
 Other758 (7)183 (8)
Household income compared with the patient’s zip code (%)
 0–25th4337 (39)881 (36)0.1
 26th–50th3255 (29)683 (28)
 51st–75th2089 (19)549 (23)
 76th–100th1457 (13)309 (13)
Anatomic location of injury (%)
 Head128 (1)67 (3)0.01
 Neck29 (0)
 Thorax51 (0)
 Abdomen, pelvis, genitalia47 (0)
 Shoulder or upper arm118 (1)
 Elbow or forearm610 (5)90 (4)
 Wrist, hand, finger4884 (44)787 (32)
 Hip or thigh38 (0)25 (1)
 Knee or lower leg1751 (16)903 (37)
 Ankle or foot3351 (30)507 (21)
 Multiple body regions129 (1)44 (2)
Type of snake
 Rattlesnake2067 (19)983 (41)<0.0001
 Coral snake123 (1)38 (2)
 Taipan<10*
 Cobra20 (0)<10*
 North or South American snake1203 (11)392 (16)
 Australian snake
 Asian or African snake<10*<10*
 Other snake2634 (24)541 (22)
 Unspecified venomous snake5080 (46)459 (19)
Circumstances of bite
 Accidental10 692 (96)2360 (97)0.06
 Intentional self-harm<10*1.0
 Assault19 (0)<10*0.2
 Unspecified intent461 (4)58 (2)0.02
Fatalities (%)<10*1.0
  • *Values less than 10 are not reported in accordance with the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data use agreement.