Getting stung by black scorpion Androctonus crassicauda

Abstract

<jats:p> Importance of the correct diagnosis in the correct early management of a scorpion stung patient by using antivenom is not emphasized, particularly when there are little evidences. A 65-year-old female was brought to our emergency department with the chief compliant of being stung by an unknown object 3 h earlier while traveling in an intercity bus. She became agitated and simultaneously experienced tachycardia, very severe generalized sweating, cold and wet extremities, bilateral diffuse crackle in the base of lungs, tachypnea, and lethargy. With the primitive diagnosis of myocardial infarction, scorpion sting was documented as the cause of this combined cholinergic and adrenergic syndrome after the scorpion was found in the patient’s bed clothes. She dramatically responded to the administration of low dose of scorpion antivenom. This case dramatically responded to the antivenom administration, especially the cholinergic and sympathetic signs, pulmonary edema, and electrocardiographic changes were fully and almost immediately recovered. Scorpion antivenom may reverse life-threatening manifestations of scorpion envenomation if used early and in appropriate patients. </jats:p>

Scorpion composition and scorpionism in a high-risk area, the southwest of Iran

“…Androctonus crassicauda is called the black scorpion, known as a non-digging species with a size up to 12 cm in length. The results of previous studies indicated 28% of scorpionism cases belonged to this scorpion in the west of Iran ( 31 , 32 ). Severe pain in patients and more deaths in infants due to its sting have been observed ( 33 ).…”

Scorpions and scorpionism in Iran’s central desert

“…crassicauda, as another venomous species, has been reported from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Azerbaijan (Karataş and Ç olak, 2015) and was also collected in our study. It is called the black scorpion, known as a non-digging species (Aghabiklooei et al, 2013;Vazirianzadeh and Salahshoor, 2015). After its sting, patients documented severe pain and it was registered high number of infant deaths (Khodadadi et al, 2012).…”

Cardiac disorders and mode of action of the Egyptian scorpion venom Androctonus bicolor on isolated toad’s heart

“…There are various physiopathological and pharmacological studies about the species of A. australis, A. crassicauda and A. amoreuxi (e.g. Saidi et al, 2013;Aghabiklooei et al, 2013;Fetaih et al, 2013). However, no information is available about the black fat-tailed scorpion or A. bicolor.…”