When should antibiotics be administered to patients with snakebites?

Antibiotics should be administered only if signs of infection are present following a snakebite. The rationale behind this is that snakebites are primarily managed through the administration of antivenom to counteract the effects of the venom. Routine use of antibiotics is not warranted because the primary concern post-bite is the venom, not an infection, which may or may not occur depending on the individual case.

Signs of infection may develop due to complications associated with the wound or other factors, but it is not a common immediate consequence of the bite itself. Therefore, monitoring for clinical signs of infection—such as increasing redness, swelling, warmth, or discharge—guides the decision to start antibiotics. Immediate antibiotic administration, regardless of the presence of infection, is unnecessary and could lead to unnecessary complications, including antibiotic resistance.

Thus, the decision to initiate antibiotics should be based on clinical evaluation of infection rather than a routine protocol, a practice that promotes better management of resources and focuses on the actual needs of the patient.