Envenomation by Toxic Scorpions in Paraguay: Myth and Reality in the context of the Scorpionism Emergency in Southeast South America
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2019-24-1.27-35Keywords:
Scorpions, Tityus, Tityus trivittatus, Tityus confluens, Tityus bahiensis, ParaguayAbstract
Scorpionism is the accident resulting from the envenomation of humans by toxic scorpions. It is considered a health public problem in several tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including the Americas. The extreme venom toxicity of some species belonging to the genus Tityus has prompted the preparation of specific antivenoms in Latin America, which use is considered the only efficacious therapeutic strategy for treating scorpionism. Paraguay is inhabited by three Tityus species of reknown toxicity in neighbouring Brazil and Argentina (T. trivittatus, T. confluens, and T. bahiensis) but their sanitary importance in the country remains unknown. This review updates the list of known scorpion species in Paraguay and their distribution, and also presents data on their toxicity, with the intent to arise interest in the subject considering the recording of severe accidents in children, the possible increase in the number of scorpionism cases in the country as a result of global warming, and the need to identify effective scorpion antivenoms in the country.
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