An epidemiological study on scorpion envenomation in the Zagora oases (Morocco)

Objective: To determine epidemiological features of scorpion stings in the oases of Southern Morocco: Zagora Province. Methods: A three-year prospective descriptive survey was performed to obtain epidemiological data on scorpion stings, including information on epidemiological characteristics of patients stung, and gathered information on scorpion species distribution. The following information was recorded for each scorpion sting: demographics of stung patients (age, gender, geographical location), circumstances of the sting (location, time, date, activity at the time), and many traditional medical attention. A questionnaire was completed for every stung patient. Concomitantly with the epidemiological survey, a systematic sampling of scorpions based on observations and direct captures in situ was applied. Results: There were 50 cases of death among 1 053 cases studied. Most cases of death were recorded among children (under 15 years) (64%). The average age of victims was (23.00 ± 15.36) years. The scorpion sting occurred in 34.37% of cases between 18:00 and 24:00, and it coincided with the warm period and particularly between June and September (70%). The stings were principally in hands and feet (897 cases, 85.71%). The majority of victims had chosen traditional remedies (69.61%), and only 22.79% had received modern treatment while 1.33% of cases did not receive any treatment. The scorpion species involved were yellow in 179 cases and black in 815 cases. In 59 cases the scorpion involved was not identified. Conclusions: Our data constitute a preliminary descriptive study and suggest that scorpion envenomation is an important problem in the studied area