Tristian Frahm, an 11-year-old boy, tragically died from a snake bite on November 21, 2021, at a property in Murgon, located three hours north of Brisbane. Their cause of death was ruled as uncontrolled hypertension related to brown snake envenomation. This incident has led to a re-examination and renewed calls for immediate medical attention for snake bite victims, despite symptoms seeming minimal.
Her son Tristian was bitten in a tragic accident. His dad, Kerrod Frahm, and two other adults on the farm did not know any of the symptoms of a snake bite. As a result, they did not get to a hospital until after Tristian had died from the effects of the venom. Forensic pathologist Christopher Day eventually discovered two tiny scratches that looked like lesions at the location of the bite. This was a really important discovery because it shows how sneaky snake bite injuries can be.
The Hidden Dangers of Snake Bites
Dr. Mark Little, an emergency physician and toxicologist, tackled a dangerous myth. Most of us believe that snake bites always produce two obvious puncture wounds from the fangs. He stated,
“Everyone thinks you if you’ve bitten by a snake there will be two fang marks.”
These myths can cause deadly delays in getting care, as seen in Tristian’s story. Dr. Little stressed the importance of awareness about the risk of snake bites and the need for immediate medical attention.
“We’ve seen people with no obvious mark or just [a] scratch.”
PEPH’s Dr. Katherine Isoardi played a role in studies this major. She pointed out that if a person spontaneously collapses from envenomation, that usually happens within 60 minutes of a snake bite. Medical care is important, she stressed, even if the bite is not immediately visible. Moving quickly to address problems will end up being the gamechanger.
Cairns Hospital treats more than 700 snake bites annually. On average, five or six of those cases are due to envenomation. In February, the Queensland Ambulance Service responded to more than 50 snake bite-related emergencies. They took on this wave in less than ten days!
“The message is pretty simple — if there’s any suspicion [of a snake bite] you should go to hospital,” – Dr. Isoardi.
Statistics and Recent Trends
Dr. Little warned about downplaying these risks and taking snake bites lightly. He remarked,
He recognized the crazy context of emergency departments. He highlighted the urgent necessity for dangerous predators to be closely monitored victims.
“Don’t underestimate a snake bite. Even though it’s rare, the potential complications — as we’ve seen in this case — are lethal and people do die from this.”
State and commonwealth authorities are looking forward to the release of new findings from Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard in coming months. This particular incident serves to starkly underscore what can happen when snake bites go wrong. Dr. Little wrapped up with a sobering reminder that fatal outcomes from snake bites in Australia are extremely rare.
“I know emergency departments are [busy] but we’d much rather keep them for a night and observe them,” – Dr. Little.
A Call for Awareness
As authorities await findings from Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard in the coming months, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by snake bites. Dr. Little concluded with an important note about the rarity of fatal outcomes due to snake bites in Australia.
“It’s exceptionally rare to have a death in Australia due to a snake bite,” – Dr. Little.
