It is well known that several species of Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) causes death and serious morbidity in Brazil. Most infamous among these are probably Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello, 1922, but also other species cause serious sting incidents in humans in Brazil and the Amazon region, though reports are often sporadic. More studies are necessary to learn more about the effects of other Tityus species in the region.
Jonas Martins and co-workers published previously this summer a study on the systemic effects caused by the venom of the Amazonian scorpions Tityus dinizi Lourenço, 1997 and T. strandi Werner, 1939 using a murine model. The results indicates that both species may have a medical importance for humans, T. strandi being the most potent of the two.
This information is important both for preventive measures and for therapeutic choices when dealing with scorpion stings caused by Amazonian scorpions.
Abstract:
The Brazilian Amazon is home to a rich fauna of scorpion species of medical importance, some of them still poorly characterized regarding their biological actions and range of clinical symptoms after envenoming. The Amazonian scorpion species Tityus strandi and Tityus dinizi constitute some of the scorpions in this group, with few studies in the literature regarding their systemic repercussions. In the present study, we characterized the clinical, inflammatory, and histopathological manifestations of T. strandi and T. dinizi envenoming in a murine model using Balb/c mice. The results show a robust clinical response based on clinical score, hyperglycemia, leukocytosis, increased cytokines, and histopathological changes in the kidneys and lungs. Tityus strandi envenomed mice presented more prominent clinical manifestations when compared to Tityus dinizi, pointing to the relevance of this species in the medical scenario, with both species inducing hyperglycemia, leukocytosis, increased cytokine production in the peritoneal lavage, increased inflammatory infiltrate in the lungs, and acute tubular necrosis after T. strandi envenoming. The results presented in this research can help to understand the systemic manifestations of scorpion accidents in humans caused by the target species of the study and point out therapeutic strategies in cases of scorpionism in remote regions of the Amazon.
Reference:
Martins JG, Reis MB, Zuanazzi BA, Bordon KdCF, Zoccal KF, de Lima Procópio RE, et al. Clinical outcomes in a murine model after envenoming by the Amazonian scorpions Tityus strandi and Tityus dinizi. Toxicon. 2024;246:107797. [Subscription required for full text]
Thanks to Jonas Martins for sending me their article!
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