Cincinnati Zoo employee hospitalized after she's bitten by highly venomous rattlesnake

An employee at the Cincinnati Zoo employee had to be hospitalized after she was bitten by a highly venomous rattlesnake on Thursday, the zoo said in a statement obtained by CBS affiliate WKRC.

The zoo said the victim, who was an employee in the reptile department, was bitten at about 4 p.m. local time by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake in a "behind-the-scenes area" and no visitors were at risk.

The zoo said the employee's prognosis is good, WKRC reported.

Last month, an Amazon delivery driver was hospitalized in "very serious condition" after she was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake while dropping off a package in Florida. Monet Robinson told WPTV that she was in a lot of pain but had family members with her as she recovered in the hospital.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest rattlesnake in the world and largest venomous snake in North America, according to the zoo's website. The snake, which typically seeks shelter in burrows and uprooted trees, eats small mammals and birds and "plays an important role as a top predator in the food chain."

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are known for their venomous bite, which can be fatal to humans, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. The snake produced a venom called hemotoxin, which kills red blood cells and causes tissue damage.

Deaths from rattlesnake bites are rare because of the availability of antivenom, according to the Smithsonian. However, they do occur. Last year, an 80-year-old snake researcher died after being bitten by a rattlesnake. Also in 2022, a 6-year-old boy died days after he was bitten by a rattlesnake while on a family bike ride near Colorado Springs.

Florida's Poison Control Centers recommend that if bitten by an eastern diamondback, injured parties should "not apply a tourniquet or ice, as these worsen the damage" nor should they "cut the skin and suck out the venom." The poison control center said, "Go to the nearest hospital."

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Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith is a senior editor for CBSNews.com.