Received: July 2, 2007.

Accepted: November 19, 2007.

Abstract published online: February 25, 2008.

Full paper published online: March 8, 2008.

SNAKEBITES IN SOUTHWESTERN GOIÁS STATE, BRAZIL

PACHECO U. P. (1), ZORTÉA M. (1)

(1) Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Goiás State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: The present study evaluated snakebite cases recorded by the Southwest II Regional Health Bureau [Regional de Saúde Sudoeste II], Goiás State, Brazil. The following data were analyzed: accident period; patient’s age and gender; bite site; envenomation severity; and time elapsed between the bite and medical treatment. We evaluated 211 cases recorded between January 2002 and December 2005, which resulted in an incidence coefficient of 32.4/100,000 inhabitants. Most accidents were due to the bite of snakes from the Bothrops genus (78.2%). The months between January and April had a larger number of accidents (93%–44.1%), although no significant differences were observed. Only one death occurred, resulting in a mortality rate of 0.5%. The lower limbs were the most frequently affected (66.3%). The majority of the victims were male (75.1%). The age group of most of the patients was from 21 to 30 years (20.8%). The accidents were classified as mild, moderate and severe, representing 44.9%, 47.6% and 7.5% of the cases, respectively. The time elapsed between the accident and medical treatment was less than 3h in most of the cases (80.7%), reflecting the high frequency of mild and moderate accidents (92.5%) as well as the large number of healed patients.

KEY WORDS: snake bites, Cerrado, Jataí, Goiás.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ULISSES PERES PACHECO, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Jataí, Coordenação de Ciências Biológicas, Br 364, km 192, 75801–615, Jataí, Goiás, Brasil. Phone: 64 3632 1510. Email: ulissesperes@hotmail.com.