Easing the sting of snakebites
The University of Newcastle is leading world-first research that’s guiding clinical treatment and healthcare policy for venomous snakebites.
Australia is home to roughly 80 venomous land and sea snakes, with about a dozen species able to inflict a bite that could kill.
Yet for decades we didn’t have a coordinated approach to help us better understand which snakes are common in which regions, when and where they are most likely to strike, and what treatments are most effective.
While fatalities in Australia are rare – with just two to four deaths per year – snake bites can lead to other complications like kidney failure, muscle and nerve damage, and cardiac arrest.
And, despite their effectiveness, antivenoms can pose a significant burden on hospitals given their high cost (between $350 and $2,500 per vial) and short shelf life (between one to three years).
University of Newcastle researcher and clinical toxicologist Professor Geoff Isbister has transformed the way clinicians assess and treat snakebites.
The Australian Snakebite Project
Professor Isbister launched the Australian Snakebite Project in 2002 to improve our understanding of snakebite symptoms and treatment. Today, it is the longest running multi-centre study of clinical toxicology in the world, having analysed more than 2,500 snakebites from over 300 Australian hospitals.
A 10-year analysis of the Snakebite Project found that lower doses of antivenom remain effective, which can save hospitals thousands of dollars. The research team also found high error rates in Snake Venom Detection Kits, including false positives, led to unnecessary treatment.
In 2025, Professor Isbister and his colleagues published findings from a study that found people who collapse after a snake bite experience poorer outcomes, including cardiac arrest, seizures and death.
While collapse occurs in less than 15 percent of snakebite victims, people who do collapse tend to do so within 20 to 60 minutes of being bitten – often before they reach hospital for antivenom treatment. Collapse was also more common following a bite from a Brown Snake than any other species.
The research established ‘early collapse’ as a critical warning sign that may trigger the need for CPR.
An Australian-first research centre
Building on the work of the Australian Snakebite Project, Professor Isbister led Australia’s first Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Translational Venom and Antivenom in 2015. Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the centre saw several Australian and Sri Lankan universities collaborate to:
- improve the treatment of snakebites
- improve global health outcomes for patients
- build research capacity in parts of Asia, which sees up to 2 million snakebites per year
Collaboration with international experts continues today to advance research on snake toxins and antivenoms.
Research impact
Professor Isbister’s research has improved clinical practice, influenced national and international procedures, and informed protocols for clinical trials.
- Based on his research, the recommended dose of antivenom for land snakes has been reduced to just one vial with no adverse effects on clinical outcomes – thereby reducing costs and waste for hospitals
- Following his team’s discovery of high error rates in Snake Venom Detection Kits, medical professionals are now advised to use epidemiological evidence to diagnose venom poisoning, which has reduced the unnecessary use of expensive antivenoms.
- His studies found that waiting for blood results was the leading cause of delay in administering antivenom in Australia. To improve outcomes, clinical procedures now urge medical professionals to base assessment and treatment decisions on systemic symptoms of venom poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, headache and abdominal pain.
- Professor Isbister’s research has been instrumental in implementing advanced laboratory techniques that detect and measure venom in blood samples, which helps forensic pathologists and Coroner’s Courts determine cause of death in suspected snake bite cases.
- His work has also led to new treatment protocols for Australian spider bites – and his RAVE II Study changed antivenom procedures for people bitten by Red Back Spiders.
Last updated October 2025
Professor Geoffrey Isbister
The success of a steady decline in antivenom dose, although seemingly small, has huge implications for hospitals, including the potential to save thousands of dollars from not having to stock as many vials.
More information:
Professor Geoffrey Isbister
geoffrey.isbister@newcastle.edu.au
+61 2 4921 1211
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.