In Brazil, scorpion occurrence is a very important
public health matter concerning the urban
population. Accidents caused by arachnids
frequently occur in almost every state of this country.
According to the specialist Wolfgang Bürchel
“even though scorpions only attack in
self-defense, it is possible to establish a relation between the number of focus an human
accidents”.
Information from the Health department of the state of Minas Gerais assert that in the years
of 1987, 1988 and 1989, 6.018 accidents
with 92 deceased victims were notified. Dr. Bürchel
also mentions in his report that statistics from specialized institutions such as Butantan (São
Paulo) and Institute Ezequiel Dias (Minas
Gerais) show that those accidents are more
frequent inside homes or nearby them, and at the same time that chances of exposure to risk
are larger among people who work at brick or wood storehouses and bookshops.
Rodrigues att alli say that in scorpion accidents, an early diagnosis and immediate application
of specific serum are extremely important. The identification of the scorpion species is
essential for indication of correct therapy. Brazil was one of first countries in the world to
start studies related to specific therapy against scorpion poisoning. Vital Brazil, back in the
year of 1903 developed the basis for serum production, that later was produced the Butantan
Institute. Rodrigues also tells us that scorpions which belong to the Buthidae family,
sub-family Titynae, genus Tityus are the most important for medical and public health in
Brazil.
Tityus serrulatus, known as the yellow scorpian, is considered the most dangerous af all.
Wolfgang Bürchel in field observations and experiments has established that this specie has
indoor habits.It migrates from outdoor shelters to human homes. Besides being dangerous
this scorpion is easily dispersed through transport means, as they are carried from on place
to another, including from one city to another, along with different kinds of goods. The state
of Minas Gerais, Goiás and São
Paulo have the largest population of Tityus serrulatus.
Another specie of the genus is Tityus bahiensis. Accidents with this animal are not so
malignant but accordingly to Wilson Lourenço, this is one the two main species responsible
for molesting humans ( and other animals) in Brazil.
In this project we came up a third specie, Bothriurus araguayae , a small scorpion without
medical and health importance and so, it is advise that it should not be exterminated.
According to Dr. Bürchel, Lourenço, Hadley and Polis and to our own experience, scorpions do not even tolerate their own kind and as we have observed, it occurs among those animals food dispute and intraguilt predation.
Bürchel has told us that when different species live
together in the same habit, the first to disappear is the Bothriurus then Tityus bahiensis.Tityus serrulatus prevails. However, in cities like Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and São Paulo,Tityus bahiensis still predominates. We actually did verify this fact.
This report we are now presenting is the result of the Uberlândia Health Department
activities, from july 1984 to december 1996. Notifying and surveying of scorpions focus inUberlândia was the main objective of this program plus searching for a better comprehensionof the dynamic of scorpion population
in the urban area of the city. We hope that as soon as
this report is completed, it can be used as guidance for medical treatment in cases of
accidents by this arachnid. We do recommend that an effective and multiinstutional system of accidents notification should be established in order to offer support to health and
environment education programs and avoid reinfesting of treated areas and to lessen chances
of ill species being introduced into places free of them.
Uberlândia is located at 18º,55’
23” south and 48º 17’ 19” west with altitude variation around
700 and 970 meters. It presents a tropical rainy weather where temperature varies from 18º
to 29ºC. Rain precipitation is about 60 millimeters in the dry period and 1.600 millimeters in
the rainy season.
In 1984 a wide program was developed in order to warn Uberlândia’s population of risks
related to the presence of scorpions.
Uberlândia was in the same situation as cities like
Sabará, Mariana and Aparecida,where people, according to Bürchel, “have no fear of
scorpions and even consider them as an undesirable but natural presence in their homes.
Calls for control of scorpions started to arrive at the Uberlândia’s Health Department after
the information program was distributed in the city.
Each call was answered by the visit a technician who would capture samples for
identification and also apply toxic chemical sprays even though we would not recommend it as
the most desirable way of exterminating this kind of animal (since 1990 no chemical has been
used). Chemical spraying was always followed by warnings and instructions concerning its
harmful effects on human,other animals and environment.
From july 1984 to december 1996, we have answered 4.555 calls for scorpion control within130 sections of town. The highest number of occurrences was obseverd in central sections
the city (25,6%). Other city sections didn't present occurrence. The taxonomic studies of the
captured samples showed that the species were classified in two families: Buthidae andBothriuridae, represents by the genders Tityus and Bothriurus.
The highest incidence was Tityus serrulatus which was detected in 3.076 of surchedfocus,which means 67,5% of the occurrences.
Next, we found Bothriurus araguayae in 631sites corresponding to 13,9% of the searched focus, Tityus bahiensis was detected 178 times
or 3,9% of the calls. In 665 or 14,6% cases we couldn't identify the scorpion once we didn'tfind de animal.In 5 (0,1%) focus we found Tityus matogrossensis.
Tityus serrulatus has absolute predominance in the central sections of town. This may be related to important biotic and abiotic factors besides the fact that most downtown buildings
are old and the human population higher. Homes with basements and large yards are common and specially welcomed shelters for scorpions. Vacant lots filled with litter and bugs grantabundance of food for their extensive survival.
According to our Survey, Bothriurus araguayae has been predominantly found in the outskirtsos town and regions where newly built constructions have been settled. The absence of this
kind of scorpion downtown may be explained by supposition that they have been eliminated by Tityus serrulatus.
It was possible to believe that there could be a relation between the number of calls and the social economic level of groups within the city population,yet,our experience did not establish such fact. In São Paulo, Dra.Vera Regina Von Eikstedt of the Butantan Institute, asserts that calls concerning scorpion sites, come from both affluent sections such as Jardins and Morumbi and poor neighborhoods in the outskirts of that big city.
As far as predominance os Tityus serrulatus, it is important to register that besides its easy
adjustment inside human homes, this specie also reproduces through parthenogenic means which contributes for its enduring existence.
What has been proposed for Uberlândia is what José Henrique Guimarães called an integrated handling of the problem, which means a program that should include every principle that regulates or limits scorpion natural or artificial population within a multifarious subject vision. The integrated handling of this problem requires two of the basic factors initially detected by Guimarães: An education program and environment modification, the use of toxic chemical is absolutely not indicated until the present moment.
Researches aiming at substitution of toxic chemical control of malignant scorpion, alternative and healthier procedures and studies on the subject, should be stimulated on account that toxic chemicals provoke high environment damage with know positive results in scorpion control.
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