Keywords
Traditional medicine
Snakebites
Medicinal plants
Democratic Republic of the Congo
How to Cite
Abstract
IntroductionSnakebitesrepresent a significant public health problem, particularly in rural and remote areas where access to medical facilities and antivenoms is limited.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and traditional management of snakebites in the Bofidji-Bolenge Grouping, Wangata Commune, Mbandaka City, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Methods
The study area includes sites such as Mbandaka ea Mbula, Lokekya, Bopenzola, and Ikengo. The survey, conducted from January 2019 to December 2020, focused on mainland populations. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys of households and qualitative interviews with local residents, including doctors, herbalists, traditional healers, snakebite victims, their caregivers, and land chiefs. Questionnaires were administered to gather comprehensive data on snakebite occurrences and their management within the community.
Results
Epidemiologicalinvestigations recorded 1,569 pathological cases, with 780 men (49.71%) and 789 women (50.29%) affected. Pregnant women were particularly impacted, comprising 15.36% of cases. Men with pregnant partners at the time of the bite represented 12.94%. Men and women, in general, accounted for 11.92% and 11.66% of cases, respectively. Children were also affected, with boys at 7.52% and girls at 4.33%. The highest annual prevalence was at the Lokekya site (4.31%). The study identified 37 medicinal plants used in traditional treatments for snakebites and envenomations.
Conclusion
The study underscores the pivotal role of traditional medicine in addressing public health challenges, particularly in managing snake bites through indigenous plant treatments and the expertise of traditional healers. To improve snakebite management in the DRC, it is recommended to conduct phytochemical analyses of the 37 identified medicinal plants to verify their active compounds.
References
Chaka, D. (2021). Management of snakebites: Household survey in the rural communes of Koulikoro (Thesis in Medicine).
Chippaux, J. P. (2006a). Snakes of West and Central Africa. IRD Editions Tropical Fauna and Flora Collection 35 (Revised and enlarged edition). Paris.
Chippaux, J. P., & Diallo, A. (2002c). Evaluation of snakebite incidence in the Sahelian zone of Senegal: Example of Niakhar. Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique, 93(3), 151-153.
Chippaux, J. P. (2001). Les Viperidae. In J. P. Chippaux (Ed.), Les serpents d'Afrique occidentale et centrale (pp. 243.7–244.7). IRD Editions, Collection Faune et Flore tropicales 35. Paris.
Chippaux, J. P. (2002a). Epidemiology of snakebites in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique, 95(3), 167-171.
Chippaux, J. P. (2002b). Snake venoms and envenomations. Editions IRD (ex-ORSTOM). Paris.
Chippaux, J. P. (2005). Evaluation of the epidemiological situation and management capacities of ophidial envenomations in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa. Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique, 94(4), 264-268.
Chippaux, J. P. (2017). Snakebite envenomation turns again into a neglected tropical disease! Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases, 23, 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40409-017-0127-6
Chiro, L., & Ineich, I. (2006). Biogeography of the reptiles of the Central African Republic. African Journal of Herpetology, 55(1), 23–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/21564574.2006.9635538
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). (1992). Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved from https://www.cbd.int/convention/text/
Danielle, M. (2004). Snakes: Representations and multiple uses. Musée ethnologique départemental (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) and IDEMEC (Aix-en-Provence).
Descola, P. (2005). Beyond nature and culture. Paris: Gallimard.
Diarra, Y. (2008). Distribution clinique et thérapeutique des morsures de serpents dans les structures sanitaires régionales du Mali (Doctoral thesis, Université de Bamako, Mali).
Duda, R., Monteiro, W. M., & Giles-Vernick, T. (2021). Integrating lay knowledge and practice into snakebite prevention and care in central Africa, a hotspot for envenomation. Toxicon: X, 11, 100077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2021.100077
Engomba, B. M., Ngbolua, K. N., Idrissa, A. Z., Bayeli, G. I., Mulonda, A. B., Mawunu, M., & Gires, E. M. (2024). Incidence of snakebites in the area between Mbandaka and Motongambale in the commune of Mbandaka (Equateur Province), Democratic Republic of the Congo. Orapuh Journal, 5(1), e1105. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/orapj.v5i1.5
Gampini, S., Nassouri, S., Chippaux, J. P., & Semde, R. (2016). Retrospective study on the incidence of envenomation and accessibility to antivenom in Burkina Faso. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases, 22(10). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40409-016-0066-7
Garine, I. (1980). Contemporary evolution of food beliefs and prohibitions. African Presence, 113, 129-146.
Gutiérrez, J. M., Williams, D., Fan, H. W., & Warrell, D. A. (2010). Snakebite envenoming from a global perspective: Towards an integrated approach. Toxicon, 56(7), 1223-1235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2009.11.020
Guyavarch, E., & Chippaux, J. P. (2005). Methodology for household surveys: The case of two investigations carried out (example of Bandafassi, Senegal). Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique.
Hartland, E. S. (2012). Review - Australia: Totemism. Durkheim, Les Formes Élémentaires de la Vie Religieuse: Le Système Totémique en Australia. By Émile Durkheim. Paris: Félix Alcan, 1912. pp. 647. Man: A Monthly Record of Anthropological Science Published under the Direction of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 13(5), 91-96. https://doi.org/10.2307/2841764
Hulstaert, G. (1994). In the origins of Mbandaka. Aequatoria (see Bibl n° 89) and reprinted in this volume p. 68.
ICASEES MICS6-RCA. (2021). Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2018-2019: Final Report of Survey Results. Bangui, Central African Republic.
Ilumbe, G. B., Joiris, V., Nyamangombe, G. L., & Habari, J. P. (2019). Contribution to the study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of abscesses in the territory of Bikoro, Equateur province in the DRC. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 13(1), 353-368.
Kambale, J. L. K., Shutsha, R. E., Katembo, E. W., Omatoko, J. M., Kirongozi, F. B., Basa, O. D., Bugentho, E. P., Yokana, E. I., Bukasa, K. K., Nshimba, H. S., & Ngbolua, K. N. (2016). Etude floristique et structurale de deux groupements végétaux mixtes sur terre hydromorphe et ferme de la forêt de Kponyo (Province du Bas-Uélé, RD Congo). International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, 24(2), 300-308.
Kasali, F. M., Mahano, A. O., Kadima, N. J., Mpiana, P. T., Ngbolua, K. N., & Tshibangu, D. S. T. (2014). Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used against malaria in Butembo City (DR Congo). Journal of Advanced Botany and Zoology, 1(1), 1-11.
Mensah, E. K., Karikari, K., Aikins, M., Vanotoo, L., Sackey, S., Ohuabunwo, C., Wurapa, F., Sifah, T. K., & Afari, E. (2016). Secondary analysis of snakebite data in the Western Region of Ghana: 2006-2010. Ghana Medical Journal, 50(2), 103–106.
Mokekola, B. E., Assumani, Z. I., Chifundera, Z. K., Ndombe, R. T., Mwange, R. K., & Mukeba, F. B. (2022a). Evaluation of snakebites and their treatment in the Bonginda/Bikoro, DR Congo. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 10(01), 039–045.
Mokekola, B. E., Ndombe, R. N., Mwange, R. K., Mulonda, A. B., Mukeba, F. B., Chifundera, Z. K., & Assumani, Z. I. (2022b). Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants against ophidian envenomations in the Bonginda/Bikoro Group in DR Congo. World Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, 02(02), 056–062.
MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières). (2015). Morsures de serpent: Comment une urgence de santé publique passe sous le radar. 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Bâle, Suisse. Retrieved from https://www.msf.fr/sites/default/files/bpsnakebite_070915_fr.pdf
Mumbanza, F. M., Sula, K. B., Mazambi, A., Aime, S., Lembo, J., Nsasi, M. F., & Lukusa, P. A. (2020). Epidemiological profile of ophidism in the province of Lomami in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Open Access Library Journal, 7(1), e5988. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1105988
National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). (2021). Census of population: 2020. Paris, France.
Niang, P. A. (2016). Etat des lieux des pratiques de prise en charge des envenimations ophidiennes en Afrique de l’Ouest: Le cas du Sénégal. Médecine et Santé Tropicales, 26(4), 389-394.
Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). (2019). Estrategia para prevenir y controlar las mordeduras de serpientes, 2019–2030. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/324838/9789243514557-spa.pdf
Ramesh, K. S., & Nwazue, K. E. (2021). Incidence and mortality of snakebites in the rural areas of the Central African Republic. Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2021, Article ID 9827593. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9827593
Republic of South Africa, Department of Environmental Affairs. (2020). National biodiversity assessment 2018: The status of South Africa’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Synthesis Report. Pretoria.
Rossi, L. (2016). Les morsures de serpent en Afrique de l’Ouest et centrale: Défis et opportunités. Tropical Medicine and International Health, 21(5), 619-627. https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12684
Schüttler, J., Kimaro, D., & Krüger, A. (2022). Perception of snakebites and attitudes towards snakes among the people of the Kilombero Valley in Tanzania. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16(3), e0010056. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010056
Tiemoko, D., Ousmane, T., & Yves, D. (2018). Gestion des morsures de serpent et leur prise en charge dans le district sanitaire de Niono au Mali. Revue Malienne de Santé Publique, 5, 25-32.
Warrell, D. A. (2010). Snake bite. The Lancet, 375(9708), 77-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61754-2
White, J. (2018). Treatment of snakebites in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of current practices and recommendations for future policy. African Health Sciences, 18(3), 708-719. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v18i3.32
WHO. (2020). Snakebite envenoming: A strategy for prevention and control. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241515648
Williams, D., Faiz, M. A., Abela-Ridder, B., Ainsworth, S., Bulfone, T. C., Nickerson, A. D., & Warrell, D. A. (2019). Strategy for a globally coordinated response to a priority neglected tropical disease: Snakebite envenoming. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(2), e0007059. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007059
Zaba, B., & D’Alessandro, U. (2020). Snakebite in rural Burkina Faso: The importance of traditional medicine in the context of limited health care. BMJ Global Health, 5(1), e002546. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-002546
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.