EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS OF SCORPION ENVENOMATION IN FORTALEZA, CEARA (BRAZIL): A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

ARAÚJO D.S.(2), CORDEIRO-SOUSA J.(1), MATOS E.P.N.B.(2), OLIVEIRA, R.G.S.(1), HONÓRIO JR, J.E.R.(2), FONTENELE-CARDI, N.C.(4), GUIMARÃES J.A.(3), CARVALHO K.M.(1), CARDI B.A.(1,2)

(1) Lab. Toxinologia e Farmacologia Molecular, ISCB-UECE, (2) LAPE/ISCB-UECE, (3) Centro de Atendimento a Intoxicações–CEATOX/IJF, (4) Hosp. S. José de Doenças Infecciosas, CE.

Scorpion envenomations are very common in Fortaleza, state of Ceara. In this report we presented a retrospective study based on patients data treated by CEATOX/Ceara, including epidemiological and clinical aspects of 4641 scorpion accidents from January 1999 to July 2001. Some patients brought the animal with them, and it was identified as T. stigmurus (TS group: 40%). The other cases, without scorpion species confirmation (60%) will be named here as OT group (OT). The majority of victims were female (60%, TS;OT). The age average was 26 to 60 (24%) and 0 to 12 (19%)for the both groups. The time spent to search medical help were about 1-2 hs. Students (33% TS; 37% OT) and house owners (26% TS; 16.5% OT) were the main victims and the main accidents occurred inside of house (93% TS; 91% OT). The parts of the body most affected were the superior members (47% TS; 47.8% OT), inferior members (44.8% TS; 44.4% OT) and back (5.8% TS; 6.0% OT). The local symptoms included: pain (65.3% TS; 64% OT), paresthesia (19% TS; 14% OT) and edema (4.4% TS; 5.0% OT). Systemic manifestations were scarce, including cephaleia (1.0% TS and OT), nausea (0.7% TS; 0.5% OT), giddiness (0.4% TS; 0.2% OT) and vomits (0.5% TS; 1.0% OT). Most of envenomation cases could be classified as mild (95%). Just a death was recorded involving a female patient that presented oedema of glottis due to unkown cause, after 9h of venom exposition, receiving 10 amp of polyvalent anti-arachnid serum. About 3.0% of cases presented no symptoms.The antiscorpion venom serum was administered in 10 patients (moderate cases). Based on these results, we could concluded that OT group probably include, mainly, T. stigmurus specimens, taking in consideration the similarity of the clinical manifestations. The human envenomation caused by scorpions in Fortaleza, despite frequent, could be considered benign as observed on others T. stigmurus endemic areas.

KEY WORDS: Tityus stigmurus, Tityus envenomation

CORRESPONDENCE TO: Bruno A Cardi Email: bcarditoxinol@gmail.com