Child injured by suspected catfish (Cetopsis sp.) bite in river, Humaitá, Amazonas, Brazil

Abstract

We present the first recent reported case of traumatic injury caused by catfish in the Americas. Although 66.2% of fish-related injuries occur in the Amazon Region, they are scarcely reported. We report a traumatic injury in a 2-year-old boy who entered Madeira River. The use of traditional methods to treat the injury and his incomplete vaccination history reflect the weakness of the health system. Further, the fact that it was the second time that such an incident had occurred in the locality in 3 weeks during the dry season suggests that this could be a frequent occurrence during this period.

Medical importance of candiru catfishes in Brazil: A brief essay

“…The type of catfish referred to as candirus, is a member of the Trichomycteridae and Cetopsidae families 1 , 2 . The subfamilies Vandelliinae and Stegophilinae (Trichomycteridae) and Cetopsinae (Cetopsidae) are relevant to human medicine, including forensics 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . Herein, we present a brief essay on candirus and their relationship with human health and death.…”