Human Genetics Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-10-2025
Abstract
Venomous animal envenomation remains a significant but neglected public health problem worldwide, with an estimated 5.4 million cases and up to 138,000 deaths annually. The burden is particularly acute in tropical and subtropical regions, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where rural and vulnerable populations face limited access to effective antivenoms and healthcare. Despite this, comprehensive data on envenomation incidence, clinical management, and outcomes remain scarce, hampering efforts to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on venomous animal diversity, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations globally, with a focus on Africa’s unique challenges. We examine critical gaps in antivenom production, distribution, and affordability, and highlight international initiatives, including the World Health Organization’s 2019 roadmap for snakebite envenoming control. Recent advances in diagnostics, therapeutics, and community engagement are discussed alongside persistent barriers to implementation. Finally, we propose strategic recommendations to strengthen surveillance, improve antivenom accessibility, and foster regional collaborations to reduce envenomation morbidity and mortality in Africa. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated global and local efforts to translate scientific advances into sustainable health outcomes for affected populations.
Recommended Citation
Ammouch, Khawla, Nihal Mesmoudi, Noureddine Hammani, Reto Stöcklin, Jacob Galan, Abdellah Moustaghfir, and Naoual Oukkache. "Tackling the Burden of Envenomation in Africa: Advances, Challenges, and Strategic Priorities for Enhanced Diagnosis and Treatment." Frontiers in Tropical Diseases 6 (2025): 1653213. https://doi.org/10.3389/fitd.2025.1653213
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Title
Frontiers in Tropical Diseases
DOI
10.3389/fitd.2025.1653213
Comments
© 2025 Ammouch, Mesmoudi, Hammani, Galan, Moustaghfir, Stöcklin and Oukkache. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.