title: Epidemiological and clinical study on scorpionism in French Guiana.
abstract: Scorpion envenomation is a poorly explored problem in French Guiana. The aim of our study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of scorpion stings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study is retrospective. It was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of Cayenne General Hospital, over an 8-year period (2003-2010).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 253 patients presented to the emergency department with a history of a scorpion sting. The mean incidence was 32 ± 8 cases per year. The peak of incidence was observed in April and May which are the rainiest months in the year. In most cases, the envenomation occurred between 6:00 and 11:00 am. The site of the sting was on the extremities (hand or foot) in 81% of cases. The scorpion was identified or brought to the hospital in 113 cases. It was described as a slim pincers scorpion in 97 cases. The mean time elapsed between the scorpion sting and admission was 4 ± 5 h. The main clinical symptoms at admission to the ED were local signs in 178 cases (70.4%), digestive disorders in 13 cases, neurologic manifestations in 18 cases, and respiratory manifestations in 7 cases. Adrenergic syndrome was found in 117 cases (46.2%), and cholinergic syndrome in 5 cases (2%). Hypertension was found in 80 patients, 14 of them had already a history of chronic hypertension. Overall, a total of 118 patients (46.6%) had Class I envenoming, 131 patients (51.8%) had Class II envenoming, and 4 patients (1.6%) experienced Class III envenoming. The evolution was favorable in all cases and no death was recorded. However, 42 patients (18.2%) were hospitalized in a medical unit and 4 patients were hospitalized in ICU without needing mechanical ventilation, inotropes or vasoactive drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scorpion envenomation is an increasing accident in French Guiana. Symptoms vary from mild to severe and can require ICU admission. Practitioners have to be made aware of severe cases found mainly in children.
authors.affiliation: Service des Urgences, Centre Hospitalier Andrée Rosemon de Cayenne, Avenue des Flamboyants, 97300 Cayenne, French Guiana. modjojojo66@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benmosbah
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guegueniat
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayence
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egmann
authors.forename: Elenga
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Narcisse
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonon
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hommel
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kallel
mesh_terms: D005616:French Guiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065008:Scorpion Stings / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012621:Seasons; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
keywords: Envenomation; French Guiana; Scorpion; Tityus obscurus