Scorpions are a health problem in many parts of the world and Brazil is one of the world's hotspots in this regard. Knowledge of taxonomy (species diversity and who are dangerous or not), distribution, habitat preferences, ecology, venom and reproduction (how fast can a population grow and spread) is essential for preventing sting accidents and scorpionism.
Jonas Gama Martins and co-workers have recently published a very thorough and interesting review on most aspects concerning scorpions of medical importance in Brazilian Amazonas. This article will be an important tool for scientists, health personnel, public agencies and others working with scorpionism in Brazil and in the world.
Abstract:
Scorpionism is a relevant medical condition in Brazil. It is responsible
for most accidents involving venomous animals in the country, which
leads to severe symptoms that can evolve to death. In recent years, an
increase of almost 50% in the incidence of scorpionism has been observed
in the Northern Region, where the highest severity of envenoming has
been notified since the beginning of the 21st century. This
review aims to provide an in-depth assessment of public data and reports
on symptoms and epidemiology of envenoming, ecological aspects of
scorpions, and characterization of venoms and toxins to access the gaps
that need to be filled in the knowledge of the scorpion species of
medical importance from the Brazilian Amazon. A systematic search using
the string words “Amazon” and “scorpion” was performed on 11 databases.
No restriction on date, language or status of the publication was
applied. Reports not related to the Brazilian Amazon were excluded.
Therefore, 88 studies remained. It is shown that populations of
scorpions of medical importance, even of the same species, may present
significant toxic variations peculiar to some regions in the Brazilian
Amazon, and commercial scorpion antivenoms were not able to shorten the
intensity and duration of neurological manifestations in patients stung
by T. silvestris, T. apiacas or T. obscurus. It is also
highlighted that the toxins responsible for triggering these alterations
have not been elucidated yet and this is a fruitful field for the
development of more efficient antivenoms. Furthermore, the geographic
distribution of scorpions of the genus Tityus in the Brazilian
Amazon was revised and updated. The cumulative and detailed information
provided in this review may help physicians and scientists interested in
scorpionism in the Brazilian Amazon.
Reference:
Martins JG, Santos GC, Procópio REL, Arantes EC, Bordon KCF. Scorpion species of medical importance in the Brazilian Amazon: a review to identify knowledge gaps. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 2021;27:e20210012. [Open Access]
Thanks to Jonas Gama Martins for sending me their article!
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