title: Bites and stings by exotic pets in Europe: an 11 year analysis of 404 cases from Northeastern Germany and Southeastern France.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of exotic, and sometimes venomous, pets in European homes is becoming more common. This phenomenon is the basis of a French-German cooperative evaluation of the species causing the injuries and the circumstances, severity, and treatment of the envenomations
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, case series of data from 1996 to 2006. The study sample consists of all cases of bites and stings by exotic pets that were registered at four poisons European poisons centers. The inclusion criteria were bites and stings of human beings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1996 to 2006 four poisons centers in Europe were consulted on 404 bites and stings by exotic pets. The average age of the patients was 36 (2 to 75) years and 73% of the patients were male. The severity of the envenomations, according to the Poisoning Severity Score, was as follows: 29 severe (7.1%), 55 moderate (14.2%) and 320 minor (78.7%). There were no fatalities in this case series. Exotic snakebites from rattlesnakes, cobras, mambas, and other venomous snakes caused 39% of envenomations, aquatic animals (mostly lionfish of the Pterois genus and stingrays) caused 30% of envenomations and arthropods (tarantulas and scorpions) caused 27% of envenomations. All severe envenomations were caused by venomous snakes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  European healthcare professionals may encounter patients bitten or stung by exotic pets. Poisons center consultation can help manage these unusual presentations and help obtain rarely used antivenoms.
authors.affiliation: GIZ-Nord Poisons Centre, Goettingen, Germany. aschaper@giz-nord.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaper
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Desel
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebbecke
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Haro
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deters
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hentschel
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hermanns-Clausen
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult