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Snakebite test correctly IDs attackers in Nepal

DNA from swab of bite site can diagnose serpentine culprit

cobra

ONCE BITTEN  Forensic tests of bite marks might reveal the guilty snake species — such as this cobra — in cases where patients aren't sure what attacked them, offering a bit of clarity that can speed treatment.

H. Krisp/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

By Nathan Seppa

- More than 2 years ago

NEW ORLEANS — Swabbing for traces of snake DNA around bite marks on people can reveal the guilty serpent, a use of forensics that could change how people in regions beset by snakebites identify the culprits, a study in Nepal finds.