The poisonous snakes of public health importance of Peru. Navarrete Zamora Miluska B, Silva Suárez Walter H, Vargas Mas Erasmo A. REDVET. Revista electrónica de Veterinaria 1695-7504. 2010 Volumen 11 Número 07. Abstract: There are 33 species of venomous snakes in Perú and these are distributed in two families: Viperidae and Elapidae. They are geographically distributed in different habitats in Costa, Sierra and Selva of Perú. Handling these animals requires special equipment and must be done by qualified staff in order to avoid accidents. Venom produced by snakes is a modification of salivary glands that facilitates digestion of its preys. Inoculation of the snake venom is called “ofidismo” (snakebite), in Perú Bothrops atrox is the aggressor animal with more ophidian accident reports. Mechanisms of these venoms can be present as proteolytic, neurotoxic, coagulate, vascular toxicity, hemolytic, necrotic toxicity and liver toxicity actions which characterize ophidian accidents. The aim of this review was to supply knowledge about different venomous snakes resident in Peru, its geographical location and ophidian accidents by venom inoculation. Epidemiological ompilation of ophidian accidents reports and recent uses of the snake venom in medicine is also included in this review. See PDF Full Text in Spanish.