Nationwide Scorpion Exposures Reported to US Poison Control Centers from 2005 to 2015

Abstract

Scorpion envenomations occurred throughout the southern US with similar seasonal and daily variations. Common clinical effects included pain, local edema, and erythema, except in Arizona and Nevada where severe systemic symptoms were more common. Systemic effects correlated with high rates of ICU admissions and intubations, especially in children under 10 years of age.

Toxinology: North American Scorpion Envenomations

“…As expected, clinical findings associated with scorpion stings reported to poison centers outside of the southwestern United States typically describe local inflammatory effects such as edema or erythema. This differs significantly from findings reported in areas where C. sculpturatus is endemic (Kang and Brooks 2017).…”

“…The majority of scorpion stings occur in the southern portion of the United States. Stings are reported year-round but are more common between March and October when the weather is warm (Kang and Brooks 2017). As expected, clinical findings associated with scorpion stings reported to poison centers outside of the southwestern United States typically describe local inflammatory effects such as edema or erythema.…”

“…Several other scorpion species in the United States have been reported to produce local or allergic effects in humans, and poison centers receive calls regarding scorpion stings from across the country (Kang and Brooks 2017). Local and allergic reactions to stings are not commonly reported however, and have been best associated with stings by the common striped scorpion, Centruroides vittatus.…”

Risk Assessment and the Effects of Refuge Availability on the Defensive Behaviors of the Southern Unstriped Scorpion (Vaejovis carolinianus)

“…The disproportionate use of stinging compared to grasping in V. carolinianus is likely due to the gracile nature of their chelae more than the potency of their venom. Although the venom of V. carolinianus has not been well studied, it is unlikely to be medically significant in humans due to the scorpion's small size (and thus small venom reserves), in addition to the fact that the severity of envenomation has only been reported to range from local swelling to small, localized necrotic lesions, similar to that of the sting from a honey bee [56,57].…”

First Described Envenomation by Centruroides pococki Scorpion in the French Caribbean Island Guadeloupe

“…Furthermore, in the United States and in Mexico there is a specific antivenom treatment containing F(ab)'2 from horses immunized with Centruroides venom, approved by the US Food & Drug Administration. 5 This genus also can be found in Latin America, although it is considered less toxic to humans compared with species in the genus Tityus such as Tityus obscurus in Guiana.…”