A new review on scorpion envenomation

Pathophysiological and clinical effects of systemic scorpion envenomation. Isbister & Bawaskar/New England Journal of Medicine, 2014 (C).

With more than one million cases of scorpion envenomation each year worldwide with substantial morbidity and even death in children, scorpions pose a health challenge in many countries. Geoffrey Isbister and Himmatrao Bawaskar have recently published a updated review on the effects of scorpion envenomation and the current treatment knowledge in the top medical journal New England Journal of Medicine.

This article is essential for health personnel dealing with scorpion envenomation patients, scorpion researchers and others interested in scorpions as it sums up symptoms, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and treatment for scorpion envenomations.

Abstract:
Scorpion stings and envenomation are of clinical importance worldwide, and although most stings cause only local effects, severe envenomation that causes either excessive autonomic activity and cardiovascular toxic effects or neuromuscular toxic effects results in illness and, in the case of children, in death. The specific treatment is the administration of antivenom combined with symptomatic and supportive treatment, including prazosin and dobutamine in patients with cardiovascular toxic effects and benzodiazepines when there is neuromuscular involvement.

Reference:
Isbister GK, Bawaskar HS. Scorpion Envenomation. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(5):457-63. [Subscription required for full text]