CHARACTERIZATION OF SCORPION ENVENOMING IN CHILDREN CARE FOR A POISONING CONTROL CENTER.

A descriptive study was conducted to analyze the clinical and epidemiological factors associated with scorpion envenomation in children aged 0 to 11. The study was conducted at the Centre for Toxicological Information and Assistance (CIATox) of the University Hospital of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, from 2017 to 2022. The researchers collected data on sociodemographic and clinical information and details about the toxicological event from 450 cases.

The primary outcome of interest was hospitalization with a minimum duration of 24 hours. The analysis revealed increased scorpion sting cases over the years, with Tityus serrulatus being the most common species responsible for the accidents, accounting for 48.7%

. The study found that the main local symptoms of scorpion envenomation in children were pain and erythema/hyperaemia, while the primary systemic symptoms were tachycardia, vomiting, and generalized sweating. About 10.9% of the patients required antiscorpion serum or antiarachnidic serum. The results also showed that 8.4% of the cases required hospitalization, which was more likely to occur in certain groups. Specifically, children stung by T. serrulatus were at a higher risk of hospitalization, with a relative risk (RR) of 11.34. Additionally, children aged 4 years or younger and those who received treatment at the CIATox 3 hours or more after the sting were also more likely to be hospitalized. The study's findings highlight the importance of prompt medical attention and the need to closely monitor children stung by scorpions, particularly those in high-risk groups. The results can inform the development of treatment protocols and public health strategies to mitigate the effects of scorpion envenomation in children.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40054782/