Antivenom and a Global Health Crisis

Diseases such as Ebola and AIDS probably spring to mind at the mention of epidemic or health crisis, but venomous snakes bite more than a million people each year worldwide, often resulting in death or significant injury. Indeed, the World Health Organization has flagged snakebites as a neglected tropical disease. This slender, info-packed offering digs into the social, cultural, and economic conditions that make snakebites such a hazard in many parts of the world; the incredible expense and limited availability of antivenin; and the science of how venom works and the snakes that produce it. Taken together, these elements are referred to as 'the Vicious Circle, ' a self-perpetuating cycle that keeps snakebites a dire problem and requires a multifaceted plan of attack to break. Well-chosen photos and helpful diagrams bring the book's subjects, both slithering and topical, into sharp focus. Readers will gain an understanding of the complexity of this issue and meet several scientists and researchers at the vanguard of antivenin program development. This thoroughly sourced text is a fascinating resource that can be used across many disciplines.--Booklist

Venomous snakes are part of the ecosystem, but their bites endanger millions of people around the world every year--a global health crisis with a vicious circle of contributing factors. Science writer Hofer (Washed Away by Floods, 2018, etc.) offers a comprehensive introduction that would be particularly suitable for high school students, especially given its extensive suggestions for further research. Drawing readers in with a dramatic medical situation in Benin, he goes on to describe the challenges of finding and providing remedies, major families of venomous snakes, the nature and purpose of venom, the production of antivenom, and international efforts to provide safe and effective treatment. He touches on the impact of climate change on snake habitats and the potential of venom to provide cures for other human diseases. The backmatter also includes a short guide to the venomous snakes of the United States. His exposition is clear and well-organized. The lively design includes snake-patterned upper margins, and there are some explanatory images and plentiful, well-captioned photographs which show a diverse range of professionals in the field. Pullout boxes add additional information. Drawing extensively on the work of Dr. Leslie Boyer, founding director of the VIPER Institute at the University of Arizona, the author provides interesting examples and needed background in context. A welcome addition to a middle or high school library on a compelling subject.--Kirkus Reviews