ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2026
Snakes and snakebites in the munduruku cosmology and medicine, central Brazilian Amazonia.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Snakebite envenoming is a major public health problem in the Amazon, disproportionately affecting Indigenous populations with high incidence and mortality rates. Efforts to decentralize antivenom treatment to remote areas require not only logistical adaptations, but also a deeper understanding of Indigenous medical systems to enable culturally appropriate care. This study aimed to construct an explanatory model of snakebites from the perspective of the Munduruku people, an Indigenous group in the Central Brazilian Amazon. We conducted a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with nineteen traditional healers. Our methodological orientation follows the Amerindian perspectivism theory. Data was sorted into five relevant categories: 1) Participants' identities; 2) Snakes and snakebites; 3) Course of sickness; and 4) Therapeutic resources in the Munduruku medicine. Munduruku healers interpret snakebites as events involving both natural and supernatural dimensions, integrating bodily, social, and spiritual factors. Snakes are perceived as intentional beings, and envenomation may result not only from physical encounters but also from sorcery or transgression of social norms; perceived severity is shaped by the type of snake, adherence to dietary and sexual restrictions, and spiritual causality. Therapeutic practices predominantly involve topical preparations, rituals, and symbolic interventions embedded within broader relational and cosmological frameworks. Despite these distinct explanatory models, most participants recognized the importance of biomedical care, particularly for severe cases, and did not oppose referral to hospital-based treatment, while Indigenous healing practices remain central throughout the therapeutic itinerary. Improving snakebite outcomes in the Amazon requires intercultural health strategies that integrate biomedical and Indigenous systems, with symmetrical partnerships with Indigenous healers being essential to ensure timely access to antivenom while respecting local knowledge and practices.
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