into snake pits, leaving people to die from multiple venomous bites. According to popular belief, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII committed suicide by let herself be bitten by an asp—likely an Egyptian cobra—after hearing of Mark Antony's death, while contemporary ancient authors rather assume a direct application of poison. Snakebite as a surreptitious form of murder has been featured in stories such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Speckled Band, but actual occurrences are virtually unheard of, with only a few documented cases. It has been suggested that Boris III of Bulgaria, who was allied to Nazi Germany during World War II, may have been killed with snake venom, although there is no definitive evidence. At least one attempted suicide by snakebite has been documented in medical literature involving a puff adder bite to the hand. Research In 2018, the World Health Organization listed snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease. In 2019, they launched a strategy to prevent and control snakebite envenoming, which involved a program targeting affected communities and their health systems. Other animals Several animals acquired immunity against venom of snakes that occur in the same habitat. This has been documented in some humans as well. References Bibliography Further reading External links WHO Snake Antivenoms Database Snake attacks Medical emergencies Parasitic infestations, stings, and bites of the skin Venomous snakes Wilderness medical emergencies Tropical diseases Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate Wikipedia emergency medicine articles ready to translate