SCORPION STING IN SHUSHTAR COUNTY, SOUTHWESTERN IRAN: AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY DURING 2009-2013

Objective: To achieve people and authorities to prevent from being stung, information regarding scorpionism is essential. According to the high prevalence of scorpionism in Shushtar County, southwestern Iran, this survey was conducted to give us basic information about scorpion sting in this region. Methods: This research was a descriptive cross- sectional study. The data of the present research has come from hospitalized persons referring to the health center and hospital of county of Shushtar during 2009-2013. Scorpion-stung patient filled out a questioner requesting age, month, season, gender and residence of victim, stung part of body, color of stinging scorpion, treatment with or without antivenin injection, the way how antivenin applied. The frequencies of entomo - epidemiological and medical parameters were converted to the percentage rank. Results: During 2009-2013, a total of 4318 scorpion stung patients referred to the above-mentioned centers. The largest of scorpion stings data were happened in 2012 [23.2%]. Data collected in this study revealed that the highest incidence of scorpion sting cases was taken place in summer [35.4%]. The most victims of scorpion stung people were in rural areas [50.4%]. The greatest rate of scorpion stings victims belonged to the 15-24 and 25-34 year old persons [25.8% and 25.8%]. The percent of stung women and men of scorpion-stung patients were 40.8% and 59.2%, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results of the current study it is concluded that the scorpion stings in Shushtar County is epidemiologically similar to the other parts of Khuzestan Province, with reference to age, sex, site of stings, stung part of body, month and season frequency. Training ways of prevention and decreasing the scorpion stings to the Shushtar residences can be an effective role in reducing the incidence of this occurrence in the future. Key Words: Epidemiology, Scorpionism. Iran