Envenomation by the Scorpion Tityus breweri in the Guayana Shield, Venezuela: Report of a Case, Efficacy and Reactivity of Antivenom, and Proposal for a Toxinological Partitioning of the Venezuelan Scorpion Fauna

Borges, Arnaldo Chaer; Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M.; Dı́ez, Nardy; Faks, J.; Camp, Huub J. M. Op den; Sousa, Leonardo De

doi:10.1016/j.wem.2010.06.008

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(76 reference statements)

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“…4), all species belonging to the Amazon and Andes transition. This statement is consistent with the criteria that Tityus reaches its greatest diversity in the Northwestern part of South America with half of the species described from Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela [19], [74]. The other scorpion species – T. costatus , T. bahiensis , T. stigmurus , T. serrulatus and T. fasciolatus – belong to the Amazon and Atlantic Forest transition and also to Cerrado biome.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tityus pachyurus and Tityus obscurus Novel Putative Na+-Channel Scorpion Toxins

et al. 2012

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BackgroundColombia and Brazil are affected by severe cases of scorpionism. In Colombia the most dangerous accidents are caused by Tityus pachyurus that is widely distributed around this country. In the Brazilian Amazonian region scorpion stings are a common event caused by Tityus obscurus. The main objective of this work was to perform the molecular cloning of the putative Na+-channel scorpion toxins (NaScTxs) from T. pachyurus and T. obscurus venom glands and to analyze their phylogenetic relationship with other known NaScTxs from Tityus species.Methodology/Principal FindingscDNA libraries from venom glands of these two species were constructed and five nucleotide sequences from T. pachyurus were identified as putative modulators of Na+-channels, and were named Tpa4, Tpa5, Tpa6, Tpa7 and Tpa8; the latter being the first anti-insect excitatory β-class NaScTx in Tityus scorpion venom to be described. Fifteen sequences from T. obscurus were identified as putative NaScTxs, among which three had been previously described, and the others were named To4 to To15. The peptides Tpa4, Tpa5, Tpa6, To6, To7, To9, To10 and To14 are closely related to the α-class NaScTxs, whereas Tpa7, Tpa8, To4, To8, To12 and To15 sequences are more related to the β-class NaScTxs. To5 is possibly an arthropod specific toxin. To11 and To13 share sequence similarities with both α and β NaScTxs. By means of phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Parsimony method and the known NaScTxs from Tityus species, these toxins were clustered into 14 distinct groups.Conclusions/SignificanceThis communication describes new putative NaScTxs from T. pachyurus and T. obscurus and their phylogenetic analysis. The results indicate clear geographic separation between scorpions of Tityus genus inhabiting the Amazonian and Mountain Andes regions and those distributed over the Southern of the Amazonian rainforest. Based on the consensus sequences for the different clusters, a new nomenclature for the NaScTxs is proposed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tityus pachyurus and Tityus obscurus Novel Putative Na+-Channel Scorpion Toxins

et al. 2012

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“…Taking into account the need for newly anti-Tityus antivenoms effective in both Central America and Colombia and given the taxonomical and toxinological complexity of the genus throughout its distribution range as well as the similarities of Central American Tityus to Colombian and western Venezuelan species, the preparation of such sera should be preceded by a study incorporating multiple criteria (4,27,41). These criteria should extend beyond incidence/ species range, in order to determine whether regional or pan-regional sera are to be prepared.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, six Centruroides species are highly toxic in Mexico (C. infamatus, C. limpidus limpidus, C. limpidus tecomanus, C. suffusus suffusus, C. noxius) and the United States (C. sculpturatus), while Tityus includes at least twenty species of medical importance throughout South America and the Caribbean, including T. discrepans, T. zulianus, and T. nororientalis (Venezuela), T. trinitatis (Trinidad and Tobago), T. pachyurus, T. asthenes, and T. fuhrmani (Colombia), T. serrulatus, T. stigmurus, and T. bahiensis (southeast Brazil), T. obscurus (formerly T. paraensis/T. cambridgei, Brazilian Amazon, French Guiana and Guyana), T. metuendus (the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon), and T. trivitattus and T. confluens (Argentina) (4,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Scorpionism in Central America, with special reference to the case of Panama

Borges

Miranda

Pascale

2012

J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis

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Scorpionism in the Americas occurs mainly in Mexico, northern South America and southeast Brazil. This article reviews the local scorpion fauna, available health statistics, and the literature to assess scorpionism in Central America. Notwithstanding its high toxicity in Mexico, most scorpion sting cases in Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica are produced by species in the genus Centruroides that are only mildly toxic to humans despite the existence of ion channel-active toxins in their venoms. Regional morbidity is low with the exception of Panama, where an incidence of 52 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was recorded for 2007, with 28 deaths from 1998 to 2006. Taxa belonging to the genus Tityus (also present in the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica) are responsible for fatalities in Panama, with Tityus pachyurus being the most important species medically. Most Tityus species inhabiting Panama are also found in northern South America from which they probably migrated upon closure of the Panamanian isthmus in the Miocene era. Incorporation of Panama as part of the northern South American endemic area of scorpionism is thereby suggested based on the incidence of these accidents and the geographical distribution of Panamanian Tityus species.

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“…Scorpionism in Argentina is a public health problem that is under control due to its relatively low incidence and the accessibility of specific antivenoms. In Venezuela, envenomation by Tityus scorpions is a common public health hazard [153]. In Colombia, scorpionism by T. asthenes is prevalent [154].…”

Section: Scorpions -Basic Epidemiologic Data and Main Control Effortsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Control of Spiders and Scorpions in Urban Areas

Ramires¹,

Navarro-Silva²,

Marques³

2011

Pesticides in the Modern World - Pests Control and Pesticides Exposure and Toxicity Assessment

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Envenomation by the Scorpion Tityus breweri in the Guayana Shield, Venezuela: Report of a Case, Efficacy and Reactivity of Antivenom, and Proposal for a Toxinological Partitioning of the Venezuelan Scorpion Fauna

Cited by 22 publications

References 26 publications

Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tityus pachyurus and Tityus obscurus Novel Putative Na+-Channel Scorpion Toxins

Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tityus pachyurus and Tityus obscurus Novel Putative Na+-Channel Scorpion Toxins

Scorpionism in Central America, with special reference to the case of Panama

Chemical Control of Spiders and Scorpions in Urban Areas

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