Certain conditions may increase the number of venomous snakebites, sometimes resulting in an "epidemic".
Factors contributing to increased snakebites:
(1) heavy rains and flooding, resulting in both humans and snakes sharing higher ground
(2) higher temperatures (cold temperatures tend to make a snake sluggish)
(3) change in snake behavior associated with reproduction
(4) farming
(5) construction, including digging of irrigation canals and road building
(6) logging
(7) influx of people unfamiliar with the poisonous snakes in a locale
(8) warfare
(9) intoxication of a large number of people in the snake's habitat
(10) other forms of habitat invasion
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Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
