Acidentes por peçonhas na área de abrangência sanitária do município de Juiz de Fora - MG

Abstract

Accidents involving venomous animals are usually severe, therefore resulting in high morbidity and mortality. The city of Juiz de Fora - MG is considered endemic area for snakes, spiders and scorpions, but there is a lack of studies on these subjects. This retrospective descriptive study aimed to characterize the venom accidents reported in that city. We evaluated the 1,500 poisonings occurred in the region, between 2002 and 2007. Data were collected in the investigation forms of the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, available at the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance and the patient registers obtained from the Hospital de Pronto Socorro (HPS) Doctor Mozart Geraldo Teixeira. These data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, with the aid of Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences 14.0 and the georeferencing was performed using the software ArcGIS 9.2. The results showed higher frequency of accidents was caused by spiders (28.9%, n = 434), scorpions (25.3%, n = 379) and snakes (19.8%, n = 297). Most of the calls was made at the Emergency Care Center (79.3%, n = 1189) and HPS (19.9%, n = 299). The snake bites were more frequent in rural areas (63.0%, n = 187), mostly during the h ot and humid periods of the year (70.7%, n = 210). The genus Bothrops was the aggressor more involved (67.0%, n = 199) and the lower limbs were the most affected (64.6%, n = 192). The victims aged 34 ± 18.3 years. The mortality rate was of 0.34%. Scorpion stings occurred mostly in urban areas (81.8%, n = 310), with higher frequency in hot and humid seasons (57.3%, n = 217). Tityus serrulatus was the more involved (63.2%, n = 213) and the arms were the most affected part of the body (49.8%, n = 189). The victims were 37 ± 20 years. The mortality rate was of 0.26%. The accidents by spiders occurred in urban areas in 50.0% (n = 217) of the cases and the frequency of occurrence have remained stable throughout the year. The genus Phoneutria was the more involved (45.4%, n = 197) and the arms were the most affected (44.6%, n = 193). The victims were 37 ± 19 years. In all three types of accidents, poisonings were considered mild (68.6%, n = 761), because the victims were treated up to 3 hours (64.1%, n = 712) and all of them got cured (80.5%, n = 894). The antivenin was performed in 63.3% (n = 197) of cases in snakebite, 2.1% (n = 8) in the scorpion cases and in 3.2% (n = 14) of the spider ones. The local symptoms more frequently were pain (81.4%, n = 904). Most affected victims were male (67.7%, n = 752) and work activity was the fact more related to the accident (36.5%, n = 405). The number of accidents in the period under review confirms the area as endemic for these animals and justifies studies to the knowledge of the epidemiological profile of the region and development of local public policies.