• Michael Levine, David Tashman, Ian Recchio, Nathan Friedman, Justin Seltzer, Alicia Minns, and Frank LoVecchio.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: michaellevine@mednet.ucla.edu.
• Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Mar 1; 81 (3): 318322318-322.

AbstractThe Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri) is commonly encountered throughout Southern California. Typical toxicity includes tissue injury and hematologic toxicity. However, neurotoxicity is not commonly reported with rattlesnake envenomations, other than infrequently with select species, including the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus). Importantly, clinical neurotoxicity has not been well described with the Southern Pacific rattlesnake, the only rattlesnake in the city of Los Angeles, along with the Southern and coastal regions of Los Angeles County. In this case series, 7 patients envenomated by the Southern Pacific rattlesnake with significant neurotoxicity, including dysarthria, ataxia, and myokymia, are presented. Clinicians practicing in this region should be aware of evolving patterns of toxicity associated with the Southern Pacific rattlesnake.Copyright © 2022 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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