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Epidemiological study of scorpion sting in city of Poldokhtar, Iran, between 2010 and 2014, five-year-study
Abstract
Due to the wide distribution of the scorpions in various regions of Iran as well as the importance of the arthropods in medicine and biosciences and since the scorpion sting is a major public health problem, especially for people in rural areas and children, this study aimed to investigate the status of scorpion sting in city of Poldokhtar. This is a descriptive analytical cross-sectional study. In order to investigate the scorpion sting cases, data collection was performed according to the questionnaire by referring to Poldokhtar Health Center and examining the existing cases during 2010 through 2014. The obtained data was analyzed using the statistical SPSS Software V.20 and Chi-square test. The results at levels less than 0.05 were considered as significant. Results showed that the total cases of scorpion sting included 810 individuals for the five-year period of the study. The frequency of scorpion sting cases was 414 (51.1%) in males and 396 (48.9%) in females. This study indicated that the highest and lowest number of the scorpion sting cases is related to the 25 to 34-year-old age group with frequency of 209 cases (25.8%) and the 5 to 9-year-old age group with frequency of 34 cases (4.2%), respectively (P < 0.05). The number of the scorpion sting cases was indicator of a pattern according to which the highest and lowest incidence rate was in summer with 419 cases (51.7%) and in winter with 17 cases (2.1%), respectively. The highest prevalence rate of scorpion sting with 152 cases (18.8%) was in July. The results showed that among 810 cases of scorpion sting, 195 cases (24.1%) lived in the urban areas and 615 cases (75.9%) in the rural areas (P < 0.05). In 76 cases (9.4%) the sting had occurred on the head and body while in 734 (90.6%) cases it had occurred on hands and feet. The recovery rate of the scorpion stung patients in Poldokhtar between 2010 and 2014 was 98.8% and, in this five-year period, 1 case of death had occurred. The high prevalence of scorpion sting in city of Poldokhtar indicates the necessity of conducting prevention programs in order to reduce its incidence. These programs can be started by training the society; moreover, timely treatment, especially for babies and children, is of great importance.
... The annual cases of scorpionism in Iran are projected from 40000-50000, resulting in 14-18 deaths per year (1). The dangerous consequences of the scorpion stings comprised the severe and lethal haemolysis, acute renal failure, deep necrotic wound, severe joint inflammation, temporary and permanent psychosis and death (2,3). The highest mortality due to scorpion stings is associated with Hemiscorpius lepturus Peters, 1861 in Iran, encountered as the most dangerous scorpion species in Khuzistan and Hormozgan provinces in southern Iran, where its abundance is high (4,5). ...
... The scorpions were actively sought both at daytime by using hand digging tools for turning the stones, digging the borrows and collecting the scorpions by long forceps as well as portable ultraviolet devices used at night (2). A portable Garmin™ GPS device was used for recording the geographical coordinates of the collection localities in the field. ...
Background: Scorpions have medical importance in the studied area with 2377 cases of envenoming during past six years. This study was the first to explore the scorpion species and dispersion in the Kazerun District during 2014–2015.
Methods: The studied sites were selected based on different topographic conditions such as plain, foothill and mountainous which formed four geographical zones with three villages in each zone. The sampling was carried out twice each month throughout the year. Daytime collections were carried out using hand digging tools for moving stones and excavate the borrows, as well as night sampling, is done with the black light device. The coordinate of locations was recorded with a GPS. The collected specimens were maintained in 70% ethanol and identified using authorized keys.
Results: Overall, 800 scorpions were sampled from different parts of Kazerun District, bringing the species richness to 9 belonged to 3 families of Buthidae, Scorpionidae, and Hemiscorpionidae. The Mesobuthus eupeus (84.6%) was prominent vice versa M. caucasicus (0.1%) had lowest abundance. Other species comprised Compsobuthus matthiesseni (5.3%), Androctonus crassicauda (5.0%), Razianus zarudnyi (2.0%), Hemiscorpius lepturus (1.5%), Orthochirus sp (0.9%), Hottentotta zagrosensis (0.4%), and Scorpio maurus (0.3%). The seasonal activity of the scorpions showed a lower peak in Mar, with the main peaks in Aug for the dominant species. Mesobuthus caucasicus is recorded for the first time in the Fars Province, southern Iran.
Conclusion: All the known dangerous scorpions, including H. lepturus, M. eupeus and A. crassicauda were revealed in the studied area.
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