ACIDENTES POR ANIMAIS PEÇONHENTOS NA REGIÃO PANTANEIRA DO MATO GROSSO DO SUL

Abstract

Introduction: Accidents involving venomous animals can result in complications that require immediate medical attention, and have therefore become a major public health problem. Such accidents can occur in both urban and rural environments, causing concern among health authorities, especially in the central western region of Brazil, with the increase in tourism in the Pantanal. Objective: To analyze epidemiological data on accidents involving venomous animals in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul between 2007 and 2022. Methodology: An exploratory, quantitative study using data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) on accidents involving venomous animals in the Pantanal region of the state of Mato Grosso in the cities of: Aquidauana, Bodoquena, Corumbá, Coxim, Ladário, Miranda, Porto Murtinho, Rio Verde de Mato Grosso and Sonora. Results: 6,322 accidents were reported, with the highest number of accidents involving scorpions (n=2,981), followed by snakes (n=1,715), bees (n=570), spiders (n=276) and caterpillars (n=191), with Corumbá having the highest number of accidents and Porto Murtinho the lowest. Males were more affected in all categories (n=3,636) than females (n=2,686), with the exception of scorpions, with 54.88% of cases being female. The age range of the most affected individuals was 20 to 39 years, while accidents involving caterpillars were higher in the 1 to 4 age group. The hands and feet were the most affected sites and the majority of accidents were classified as mild (n=4,932) in all categories of venomous animals, and 20.12% used serotherapy; as well as moderate cases (n=1,104), where 71.83% used serotherapy and severe cases (n=143), where 86.02% used serotherapy. The majority of cases were treated between 0 and 1 hour (n=3,589), 1 to 3 hours (n=1,250) and 3 to 24 hours (n=1,187). 93.49% of cases were considered cured and 0.18% died from the disease. The months of January (n=737) and March (n=755) saw the highest concentration of accidents. Final considerations: Prevention and seeking immediate medical assistance are essential to mitigate the risks of accidents involving venomous animals. Public and political awareness, together with protective measures, play a fundamental role in reducing the incidence of these events, and it is important to provide adequate notification and update public policies capable of training professionals and guiding the population.