Received: December 20, 2007.

Accepted: July 4, 2008.

Abstract published online: August 18, 2008.

Full paper published online: November 30, 2008.

RISK FACTORS CAUSED BY SCORPION STINGS AND ENVENOMATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF KELÂA DES SRAGHNA (MOROCCO)

HMIMOU R (1), SOULAYMANI A (1), MOKHTARI A (1), ARFAOUI A (1), ELOUFIR G (2), SEMLALI I (2), SOULAYMANI BENCHEIKH R (2)

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

ABSTRACT: The present study aims to elucidate the risk factors involved in deaths caused by scorpion envenomation. A retrospective study was carried out in the province of Kelâa des Sraghna from 2003 to 2004. The hospital charts of scorpion envenomation cases treated in the Essalama Hospital in Kelâa des Sraghna were exhaustively analyzed. Our study contains 31 cases of death among 470 hospitalization cases. Most stings had occurred during the hot period peaking in July and August (54.6%). Moreover, the scorpion stings occurred at night in 60.1% of the cases, between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. In addition, all age groups were affected by envenomation, with a higher frequency in children aged less than 15 years (68.3%). The envenomation rate (class II + class III) was 70.9%. The statistical analysis of the data shows that being less than 15 years old, having been stung during the night and belonging to class III are risk factors that aggravate vital prognosis of hospitalized patients. Furthermore, clinical severity factors, elicited by relative risk analysis, are cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological vital distresses, with relative risks of 14.84, 11.92 and 48.33, respectively. The results of our study clearly displayed the severity and extent of the scorpion envenomation problem. Thus, great attention must be paid to this region of Morocco by the national health authorities.

KEY WORDS: scorpion, Morocco, epidemiology, Kelâa province of Sraghna.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE: This work represents a part of the National Program of the Fight against Scorpion Stings and Envenomations financed by the program PROTARS III n. D63/13.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

SOULAYMANI ABDELMAJID, Laboratory of Genetics and Biometrics, Faculty of Sciences of Kenitra, Ibn Tofail University, B.P 133, Kenitra 14000, Morocco. Phone: 00 212 37 32 94 00. Fax: 00 212 37 32 94 33. Email: soulaymani@hotmail.com.