title: Injuries caused by the venomous catfish pintado and cachara (Pseudoplatystoma genus) in fishermen of the Pantanal region in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  the fishing activity throughout the Upper Paraguay River Basin has huge financial and biological importance. This retrospective study investigated the occurrence of injuries caused by fish of the Pseudoplatystoma genus (spotted catfish or pintado and striped catfish or cachara) in professional fishermen of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul State.
  
  
  METHODS
  we collected information through a questionnaire, showing that fishing is carried out by workers with low level of education, mainly adults or seniors with low financial gains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  in Miranda town, 126 of 315 fishermen were interviewed and 38 individuals reported injuries (30.16%). In Corumbá town, 355 of 627 fishermen were interviewed, and 111 (56,61%) reported injuries. The lacerated lesions were the most common, associate with edema, erythema, radiating pain to the root of the limb, paresthesias and local necrosis. More rarely, they reported the occurrence of fever, cardiac arrhythmias and cold sweating. These manifestations may be associated with late secondary infections or envenomations caused by the toxins in the stingers of the fish. Many questionable and inappropriate treatments are used, sometimes aggravating the injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the freshwater professional fishermen need guidance on first aid measures and prevention of accidents caused by these venomous fish.
authors: Pós-Graduação em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Regional da Universidade Anhanguera, Uniderp/Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal, Rua Ceará, 333, Bairro Miguel Couto, Caixa Postal 2153, 79003-010 Campo Grande, MS, Brasil.
authors: Giuliano N R DE
authors: GN
authors: Aquino
authors: Pós-Graduação em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Regional da Universidade Anhanguera, Uniderp/Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal, Rua Ceará, 333, Bairro Miguel Couto, Caixa Postal 2153, 79003-010 Campo Grande, MS, Brasil.
authors: Celso C DE
authors: CC
authors: Souza
authors: Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Departamento de Dermatologia e Radioterapia, Av. Prof. Montenegro, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Caixa Postal 557, 18618-000 Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Vidal
authors: V
authors: Haddad
authors: Pós-Graduação em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Regional da Universidade Anhanguera, Uniderp/Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal, Rua Ceará, 333, Bairro Miguel Couto, Caixa Postal 2153, 79003-010 Campo Grande, MS, Brasil.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Sabino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002397:Catfishes; D005397:Fish Venoms / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045483:Rivers; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D005397:Fish Venoms