Venomous Visitors Highlight Global Health at USU

"Snakes Alive!" program immerses students in the realities of snakebite prevention and treatment across the globe.

August 28, 2025 by Sharon Holland

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) community packed Sanford Auditorium July 22, 2025, for one of the summer's most anticipated traditions: the annual "Snakes Alive!" program. The event is part of the Military Tropical Medicine (MTM) course hosted by USU's Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics each year. Since 1982, herpetologist Bruce Shwedick has captivated students, faculty, staff, and even some USU family members, with his live reptile demonstrations, blending science, storytelling, and a healthy respect for the natural world.

The program introduced MTM students and other attendees to 11 medically important snake species-the ones responsible for most cases of snakebite worldwide. The packed audience saw familiar North American threats like the Copperhead and Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, alongside dramatic international species such as the African Gaboon Viper and the legendary King Cobra.

While these snakes rarely bite people, they are among the largest and most venomous species on earth. Shwedick's presentation gave participants the rare chance to see them up close while learning about their habitats, the global burden of snakebite, the effects of venom on the human body, and the medical protocols used to treat envenomation in the field.

For medical professionals preparing to serve in regions where snakebite remains a daily danger, this wasn't just a show-and-tell; the knowledge gained was practical, timely, and potentially lifesaving.

"Each year, 'Snakes Alive!' engages students, faculty, and staff in a vivid reminder that snakebite is not just a biological curiosity-it is a real and pressing global health challenge," said Dr. James Mancuso, chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics. "By experiencing these species up close, students gain knowledge and perspective that will serve them well as they confront tropical medicine threats in diverse settings around the world."