How does the public’s identification of copperhead snakes and cottonmouth snakes compare to that of medical toxicologist who were provided pictures of the snake?
A study in Mississippi showed that callers to the local poison control center in their cohort had an overall accuracy in identification between 60-70% for both cottonmouths and copperheads while the medical toxicologists identified all provided photos of cottonmouths and copperheads in these cases correctly.
Robert D. Cox, Christina S. Parker, Erin C. E. Cox, Michael B. Marlin & Robert L. Galli (2018) Misidentification of copperhead and cottonmouth snakes following snakebites, Clinical Toxicology, 56:12, 1195-1199, DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2018.1473583
Contributed by: Vincent Battistini Olivieri, MD, Emergency Medicine Resident, PGY-3, Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Health on behalf of the Florida Poison Information Center Network