Scorpion Envenomations in Young Children in Central Arizona

Abstract

Clinical progression following scorpion envenomation in children < or = 2 yrs old occurred on average within 14 min of envenomation with onset almost immediately. Serum sickness occurred in 57% of toddlers receiving antivenom and typically lasted less than 3 days. Admissions were less common among patients receiving antivenom.

Tendencia de la mortalidad por picaduras de alacrán en México, 1979-2003

“…La utilidad de los antisueros contra el veneno de alacrán es un tema controversial. Si bien Abroug y colaboradores (30) no encontraron beneficios en su uso al compararlo con un placebo en una muestra de 825 pacientes mayores de 10 años en Túnez, otros autores informaron resultados satisfactorios al utilizarlo (2,31,32). Gracias a la disponibilidad de estos antisueros y a su amplia distribución en muchas comunidades, en Jalisco se ha logrado reducir notablemente la mortalidad por picaduras de alacrán (33).…”

Mast cell chymase reduces the toxicity of Gila monster venom, scorpion venom, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in mice

“…To assess the potential roles of mast cells and their proteases in the pathology and mortality induced by venoms from animals other than reptiles, we next tested venoms derived from 2 medically important scorpions, 1 from the Old World, the deathstalker (yellow) scorpion (L. quinquestriatus hebraeus) (33)(34)(35), and 1 from the New World, the Arizona bark scorpion (C. exilicauda) (35)(36)(37). Based on results obtained in preliminary experiments to assess the responses of WT or mast cell-deficient mice to various amounts of each type of venom (Supplemental Figure 5), we elected to inject mice with 7.5 μg of each type of venom in subsequent experiments.…”

“…Venoms derived from several animal species other than reptiles and honeybees, including those from scorpions (32), also have been shown to activate mast cells. We therefore also tested venoms from 2 species of medically important scorpions, the deathstalker (yellow) scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus) (33)(34)(35) and the Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides exilicauda) (35)(36)(37). By using mast cell-engrafted genetically mast cell-deficient WBB6F 1 -Kit W/W-v and C57BL/6-Kit W-sh/W-sh mice as well as mice either selectively lacking MCPT4 or CPA3 plus MCPT5 or bearing an enzymatically inactive form of CPA3, we demonstrate that mast cells can enhance host resistance to the toxicity of Gila monster and scorpion venoms, and VIP, predominantly through MCPT4-dependent mechanisms.…”

Asymmetric pulmonary edema after scorpion sting: a case report

“…Symptoms after scorpion sting progress to a maximal severity in about five hours and subside within a day or two. In USA, clinical progression following scorpion envenomation in children < or = 2 y old occurred on average within 14 min of envenomation with onset almost immediately 26 . Centruroides sculpturatus, also known as Centruroides exilicauda or bark scorpion, is the only scorpion native to the United States whose venom produces a potentially life-threatening illness, particularly in children 26 .…”