We are reporting the results of a retrospective study of cases of scorpion stings between January 2007 – December 2010, the study was taken from the Moroccan Anti-Poison Centre (MAPC).
At the end of our study, we noted the following points :
– A frequency of 111,483 cases of stings and scorpion poisoning from 16 regions in the kingdom.
– An average incidence of 0.87%.
– The age group 15 years or over represented 26.15 % of all patients stung.
– The average sex ratio was 0.96 : this was in favour of females.
– A peak frequency of stings between July and August, representing 45.40% of all stings.
– 91.39% of patients were seen for a sting without poisoning (class I).
– 7.44% for poisoning (class II).
– 1.17% for poisoning with severe distress (class III).
– The rate of poisoning was 8.61 % and the rate of fatalities specific to poisoning was 2.73 %.
– The patients were simply put under observation in 85.42% of
cases up to a PPT of 4 hours, 9.67% were referred to another healthcare centre, and 4.91% were hospitalised.
– Their fitness to be referred was 50.77%.
– The patients received symptomatic treatment in 14.58 % of cases, 85.42 % did not need treatment.
– Progress was good in 99.77% of cases.
– Among the 262 deaths, 243 were of patients aged less than 15, with a general fatality rate of 0.23%, and a mortality rate specific to scorpion stings of 0.0019‰.
– The study of variability of incidences, fatalities and mortalities in terms of regions, allowed us to distinguish between three variable endemic areas:
1. a high endemic area with raised mortality
2. an average endemic area with poor mortality
3. a very weak endemic area with little or no mortality
The rationalisation of drug consumption and the hospitalisation of patients who are victims of scorpion stings are certainly the fruits of the MAPC’s strategy for the management of the hospital. However, the rate of incidences and the mortality rate remains high, which is the result of insufficient resources to deal with patients suffering from scorpion poisoning who are admitted to intensive care and a prevention programme.