Evaluation of scorpion sting incidence in alkufra city during 1993 and 1994

Abstract

Libya is almost desert or semi-desert. Scorpion fauna is widely diversity in the country. However, scorpion in many places are not medical important especially around the coastal area. Meanwhile, scorpion species in desert are almost accounted as a first health problem related to animal toxin. Scorpion stings are ancient hazards. Alkufra is small city in east south of Libya in boarders with Egypt, Sudan and Chad. The most common scorpion genuses in Alkufra city are Leiurus sp, Androctonus sp. In this study, we evaluated the scorpion sting in Alkufra during 1993 and 1994. The total scorpion sting cases were admitted to Atya Alkashh hospital and to clinical around Alkufra city were 2091 cases (50.5% in 1993 and 49.5% in 1994) with 8 deaths (2 deaths in 1993 and 6 deaths 1994). Death cases were recorded among children less than 15 years old. However, no mortality among adult has been observed. Monthly, the high sting cases during summer time especially June and July. The highest sting cases were 20.1% in July and 21.2 % in June during 1993 and 1994 respectively. Meanwhile, the low sting cases during winter especially in December and January. The lowest sting cases were in 0.75% and 0.19 in January during 1993 and 1994 respectively. These findings highlight the hazardous effects of scorpion stings in Alkufra, and provide beneficial information that can be used in health education and future research studies for the prevention of scorpion sting cases.