Received: May 30, 2006.

Accepted: November 29, 2006.

Abstract published online: December 1, 2006.

Full paper published online: May 31, 2007.

SCORPION STINGS IN ONE PROVINCE OF MOROCCO: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND PROGNOSIS ASPECTS

SOULAYMANI BENCHEIKH R. (1), IDRISSI M. (1), TAMIM O. (2), SEMLALI I. (1), MOKHTARI A. (2), TAYEBI M. (2), SOULAYMANI A. (2)

(1) Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center of Morocco, Rabat Institute, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco; (2) Laboratory of Genetics and  Biometrics, Kénitra Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kénitra, Morocco.

ABSTRACT: The present study aimed at verifying the impact of a Moroccan strategy against scorpion stings and, specifically, at identifying the epidemiological features of the patients envenomed or just stung by scorpions. The investigation included 4089 patients from a province of Morocco which were evaluated over three years (2001, 2002 and 2003). Most stings occurred during the hot period and mainly at night (between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m.). The average incidence was 2.8‰, the average age of the patients was 26.7±18.2 years, and the envenomation rate was 6.7%. Mortality rate was 0.05‰, and average lethality rate was 0.7%. Analysis of variance showed that young age, symptoms at admission, and long time elapsed between sting and admission were correlated with poor outcome. Comparison among data of the three years revealed an increasing number of reported cases and decreasing morbidity and mortality.

KEY WORDS: epidemiology, scorpions, strategy, Morocco.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

RACHIDA SOULAYMANI BENCHEIKH, Centre Anti Poison et de Pharmacovigilance du Maroc, Rue Lamfedel Cherkaoui, Rabat Institut, Madinat Al Irfane. BP 6671, Rabat 10100, Maroc. Fax number: +212 37 77 7468. Email: rsoulaymani@sante.gov.ma.