[総説］Skin Injuries Due to Poisonous Snake Bites

We present an overall view of poisonous snake bites in Japan. In Main Land, Japan north of the Tokara Straits or Tose Line, poisonous snake bites by the Nihon mamusi (aspecies of a viper native to Main Land Japan), and Yamakagashi (tiger keelback) are of major clinical importance, whereas in the South-West Islands south of the Tokara Straits, serious problems occur due to the snake bites by the Habu (a pit viper native to the Ryukyu Islands). In Main Land Japan, approximately 10 mortality cases by the Nihon mamusi have been reported recently, whereas in Okinawa, no mortality cases due to the Habu bites have been observed. However, poisonous snake bites are still important diseases, and we should not disregard them even in our days of urbanization.