Aspectos toxinológicos , clínicos y epidemiológicos del envenenamiento producido por el escorpión Tityus fuhrmanni Kraepelin

In order to determine the toxinological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the poisoning produced by the scorpion T. fuhrmanni, a prospective study was carried out for a year in a sector of the city of Medellin (Cerro El Volador and the neighboring neighborhoods San German and El Volador), in a sample of 9.6% of the houses (180) and 9.4% of the population of the area (719 inhabitants). The collection of live specimens (128) and poison for the experimental part was also included. The dispersion of scorpions for the study area was 100%, with high home infestation in the homes of the hill and the San German neighborhood (100% and 32.3%, respectively). Throughout the study, 32 accidents were detected by T. fuhrmanni, 7 (21.9%) in children, 15 in the hill and 10 in the San German neighborhood, with attack rates of 83% and 3.9%, respectively. . Eighteen (56.3%) accidents occurred inside homes, mainly in the hands (31.3%), head and neck (18.8%) and during the night or in the early hours of the morning (62.5%). 90.6% of the cases were mild and 9.4% (3 children) had moderate poisoning with systemic signs (generalized sweating, abdominal pain). There were no serious cases and the patients did not require hospitalization. Tityus fuhrmanni produced 0.56 ± 0.27 mg of venom per milking, and its LD50 (i.p.) in mice (18-20 g) was 79.2 μg (3.9 mg venom / kg). The animals presented with salivation, piloerection, drowsiness, generalized sweating, tachypnea, cyanosis, ataxia and seizures before dying. The rapid appearance (10-15 min) of the poisoning signs in the mice and their prompt disappearance (2 hours) in the survivors, allow us to conclude that the venom is of rapid absorption, distribution and elimination. [Gomez JP, Otero R, Nunez V, Saldarriaga M, Diaz A, Velasquez P. Toxinological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of the poisoning produced by the scorpion Tityus fuhrmanni Kraepelin.MEDUNAB 2002; 5 (15): 159-65]