Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41264600›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2025

Health professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in snakebite management: A study from high-burden areas in the Afar Region, Ethiopia.

Abebe M Aga, Demise Mulugeta, Abera Motuma, Bilise Wakitole, Dassalegn Muleta, Henok Ferede, Zinash Teferi, Shambel Tadesse, Tigist Abebe, Fisseha Alemayehu and 6 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07658885 (Development, Validation and Clinical Efficacy Evaluation of an AI-based Snake Species Identification System for Snakebite Treatment), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07658885 enrolling by invitationnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Development, Validation and Clinical Efficacy Evaluation of an AI-based Snake Species Identification System for Snakebite Treatment: a Multicenter Prospective Observational Study

Typeobservational_patient_registrySponsorSecond Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of MedicineRan2026 to 2026Enrolled400ConditionsSnake BiteArmsSSRS system-assisted snake species identification
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Abebe M AgaVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.ORCID 0000-0003-2268-7707
Demise MulugetaVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Abera MotumaVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Bilise WakitoleVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dassalegn MuletaVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Henok FeredeVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Zinash TeferiVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Shambel TadesseVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tigist AbebeVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Fisseha AlemayehuVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dinkinesh DubeVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Serkadis OljiraVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Anberber AlemuVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Gashaw GebrewoldMalaria and other Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Fanos Tadesse WoldemariyamVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dereje NigussieVaccine, Diagnostics and Medical Device R&D, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Funding

Ministry of Health, Ethiopia
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSnakebite envenoming remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in rural and resource-limited tropical regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, the Afar Region bears a disproportionate burden due to environmental exposure, pastoralist livelihoods, and limited access to timely medical care. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP), and capacity gaps among healthcare professionals in selected snakebite hotspot areas of the Afar Region.

methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in five hospitals across snakebite hotspot areas in Afar. A purposive sample of 141 healthcare professionals selected, including nurses, doctors, and other clinical staff. Data were collected using structured questionnaires addressing knowledge of envenoming, antivenom use, clinical management protocols, and facility readiness.

resultsAmong the healthcare professionals surveyed, nurses comprised the largest group (61%), followed by medical doctors (30.5%), with the majority of respondents (54.6%) having less than three years of professional experience. Despite their frontline role, only 1.4% of participants had received specific training related to snakebite management, while 48.9% expressed need for such training. Antivenom unavailability reported by 56% of respondents indicating high cost (17%) and frequent shortages (25.5%) as key barriers to access. Standardized clinical protocols and post-discharge follow-up practices were lacking, with 61% of care providers reporting patients did not receive any follow-up care. Snakebite cases were regularly encountered, with 36.2% of respondents indicating monthly cases and 31.2% weekly. Although antivenom was the primary first-line treatment (60.3%), the use of diagnostic methods to support case identification was not available.

conclusionThis study highlights critical deficiencies in healthcare provider training, clinical capacity, and practical experience for effective snakebite case management. Addressing these gaps requires urgent implementation of targeted training programs, development of standardized treatment protocols, and reinforcement of antivenom supply systems. Integrating snakebite management into medical and health science curricula is essential to build sustainable clinical competency and enhance patient outcomes in high-burden settings.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHealth PersonnelSnake BitesAdultAntiveninsCross-Sectional StudiesEthiopiaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAntivenins

Identifiers

PMID41264600
PMCPMC12633901

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.